All Blog Posts Tagged 'Final' - Atheist Nexus2017-09-26T22:13:10Zhttp://atheistnexus.org/profiles/blog/feed?tag=Final&xn_auth=noGET THAT SON OF A BITCH OUT OF OFFICEtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-26:2182797:BlogPost:27696382017-09-26T15:40:27.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/S9RowENXIJDe2ZSxVpEczniH9iOJ9g7wa5nEoURUUDFncKUNFJRSyMU4Aq8lv4kfcaKE3g6E*9QDDkvozOhlpIQtdu9nKamD/LeBronTrump.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/S9RowENXIJDe2ZSxVpEczniH9iOJ9g7wa5nEoURUUDFncKUNFJRSyMU4Aq8lv4kfcaKE3g6E*9QDDkvozOhlpIQtdu9nKamD/LeBronTrump.jpg?width=275" width="275"></img></a> Normally, I stay out of politics but Saturday Donald Trump jumped into an area that he has no understanding of and as a black man I was peeved enough to write this. I hate to bother you with it but I've posted it…</em></span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/S9RowENXIJDe2ZSxVpEczniH9iOJ9g7wa5nEoURUUDFncKUNFJRSyMU4Aq8lv4kfcaKE3g6E*9QDDkvozOhlpIQtdu9nKamD/LeBronTrump.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/S9RowENXIJDe2ZSxVpEczniH9iOJ9g7wa5nEoURUUDFncKUNFJRSyMU4Aq8lv4kfcaKE3g6E*9QDDkvozOhlpIQtdu9nKamD/LeBronTrump.jpg?width=275" width="275" class="align-right"/></a>Normally, I stay out of politics but Saturday Donald Trump jumped into an area that he has no understanding of and as a black man I was peeved enough to write this. I hate to bother you with it but I've posted it</em></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em> elsewhere to let my distaste be known bea</em></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em>r with me.This is not directed at any of you but is pointed at Donald Trump.</em></span></strong></p>
<p>"Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team," the cowardly dotard Donald Trump Tweeted Friday night. The resident of the Oval Office cried because Stephen Curry said he would not be going to the White House to celebrate the Warriors NBA title.</p>
<p>Trump's action came about after being called on the carpet in a series of Tweets by NBA All-Star Stephen Curry. So, what happened? As usual, Trump started crying and took the ball and went home along with the invitation rolled up in his pocket. Even worse, in typical Trump fashion, he withdrew the invitation for the Warriors to come to the White House.</p>
<p>The only problem was the invitation hadn't been formally issued or accepted. Trump's actions infuriated a host of NFL and NBA players. LeBron James made it clear where he stood and tweeted "U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So, therefore, ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!" So, what does Trump do? He takes the thumb he was sucking on and replaces it with the one that was in his ass.</p>
<p>Speaking to his regular group of deplorables and racists in Huntsville, Alabama, the emboldened Trump said, "Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag,” Trump said, “to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out. He’s fired. He’s fired!’"</p>
<p>Speaking of Trump, Colin Kaepernick's, mother, Theresa, who would be one of those bitches, said, "It’s almost what I’ve come to expect from him and what most of us have come to expect from him. . . . So we’ll see what happens with that. I don’t know if anything will, but I thought it was a big mistake on his (Trump's) part. Just a terribly bad decision.</p>
<p>Apparently, emboldened by his rally of deplorables, the dotard in charge chose to speak out about events sparked by Colin Kaepernick's protest regarding blacks killed by the police in the United States. Although Trump never mentioned Kaepernick by name, it was clear who he referenced.</p>
<p>Response to Trump's statement game show mentality was swift and brutal.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward said it will give more players a reason to kneel, while Saints receiver Michael Thomas emphasized that players need to keep using their platforms to stop social injustice.</p>
<p>Without mentioning Trump by name, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Saturday hit back at President Donald Trump's criticism of players who kneel during the national anthem, slamming the comments as "divisive" and showing an "unfortunate lack of respect."</p>
<p>Adding, "The NFL and our players are at our best when we help create a sense of unity in our country and our culture," Goodell said. "There is no better example than the amazing response from our clubs and players to the terrible natural disasters we've experienced over the last month." (statement released NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell)</p>
<p>In a statement released by the head of the NFL Players Association, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said, the union representing professional football players, said that the union "will never back down" from supporting players' right to protest.</p>
<p>Now, the Dufus-In-Charge actions guarantee a response by NFL players. Former NBA All-Star Chris Paul said, "With everything that's going on in our country, why are YOU focused on who's kneeling and visiting the White House??? And I doubt he's man enough to call any of those players a son of a bitch to their face." Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy said, "It’s really sad man … our president is an asshole." Bengals safety Geore Iloka wasn't as harsh, but he did call Trump a clown. (CBS Sports)</p>
<p>Trump's statement is not his first trip into sports territory. It's the worst but not the first. Earlier in the month, Trump has called for black sports figures to be fired for expressing opinions he found distasteful. He also demanded an apology for a series of tweets in which the ESPN anchor Jemele Hill described him as a white supremacist. (Washington Post)</p>
<p>Hill was right on the money after Trump described Neo-Nazis, KKK members and white supremacist in the Charlottesville Virginia clash as "good people while he turns a deaf ear to people with a real cause. Not only has his depthless ignorance been highlighted, his white supremacist tendencies are in full view, hardly a revelation for any person of color.</p>
<p>Clearly, Trump should stay out of things he knows nothing about but that hasn't stopped his inept and incompetent reign in the White House, another subject he knows nothing about. Like everything else, Trump knows nothing of free speech or the problems minorities faced and continue to face in this country.</p>
<p>It is clear the Russian puppet in the Oval Office wants slavery reinstated. Currently, the NBA is 74% black. Trump wants them to submit to plantation rule. It ain't gonna happen. The same goes for the NFL where 70% of the players are black. Trump Tweeted 17 times Saturday about the NFL and NBA and not once did he say anything thing about the catastrophic events in Puerto Rico where Hurricane Maria as left great portions of the island nation without power. Many people living near a crumbling dam in storm-battered Puerto Rico have evacuated, Governor Ricardo Rossello said on Monday, as he asked for more government aid to avert a humanitarian crisis after Hurricane Maria. Trump found time for sports but turned his back on American citizens to get into an argument he started because of his ignorance.</p>
<p>Much of the Caribbean island, a U.S. territory with a population of 3.4 million, is still without electricity five days after Maria struck with ferocious winds and torrential rains, the most powerful hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in nearly a century.</p>
<p>There have been growing concerns for some 70,000 people who live in the river valley below the Guajataca Dam in the island’s northwest, where cracks were seen on Friday in the 88-year-old earthen structure.Rossello said he was working on the assumption that the 120-foot (35-meter) dam would collapse.</p>
<p>The right to protest is American as apple pie. The American Revolution was a protest against British rule. Perhaps no one remembers the Curt Flood protest that eventually brought free agency to Major League Baseball, but it started with one man who refused to be a slave to MLB owners.</p>
<p>Perhaps, it was once considered an honor for a championship team to go to the White House but today it is highly questionable. Perhaps, and more than likely, it is Trump who wants to be honored.</p>A Great Prophecy. Subtitled the Bible can turn your mind into oatmeal.tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-23:2182797:BlogPost:27695242017-09-23T21:13:24.000ZRich Gosshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/RichardGoscicki
<p>ti's as if Professor Ginsberg had a crystal ball the way he describes today's insanity 25 year ago. Just like my Youtube video on the “endmeme” it shows how belief in the second coming is very dangerous for the entire planet and the future of the world. Gog and Magog, it shows how Biblical belief can turn human brains into mishmash. I hope President Trump doesn't eventually come to the same conclusion: He needed a bomb.…</p>
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<p>ti's as if Professor Ginsberg had a crystal ball the way he describes today's insanity 25 year ago. Just like my Youtube video on the “endmeme” it shows how belief in the second coming is very dangerous for the entire planet and the future of the world. Gog and Magog, it shows how Biblical belief can turn human brains into mishmash. I hope President Trump doesn't eventually come to the same conclusion: He needed a bomb.</p>
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<div class="_42ef"><div class="_3ekx _29_4"><div class="_6m3 _--6"><div class="mbs _6m6 _2cnj _5s6c"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DswwZO3LUm5Q&amp;h=ATO7X1qzHlpbmAIp8Esh5WENBorYHnyF_uXnvTAdq9rVwh_0DRJHuApa7HY8VSmCQjvqTWiFm892ijVTwmTQttHY8LYBesgmoK4Ruer4nUa7Gt5JMcrkHRIANIqaj4y9QxHCGSgMObKlL_SuZu6FXSHPLKrsaQ6aFgKbRFbIusrUSm-QdFmvCqWUa7RePdgl-TvewbepZlkYnJMW4r_vvT4MkU_NC7aCMYWFQHn04ZsfsJelR8VPeZjL7_efjVUnVDlAiKi6_iIs9-fa2AA2JP7G9OUbHI8" target="_blank">Allen Ginsberg - Hum Bomb</a></div>
<div class="_6m7 _3bt9">Allen Ginsberg, Torino, Italy, Janurary 24th 1992.</div>
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</div>Do Nice Guys Still Finish Last?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-23:2182797:BlogPost:27693322017-09-23T16:25:50.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
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<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><strong><span class="font-size-4">If you think you know the answer to the question in the title, you may still want to read my recently-published opinion piece on the Faithless Feminist. </span></strong></span></em></p>
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<p><a href="http://faithlessfeminist.com/blog-posts/nice-guys-still-finish-last/">http://faithlessfeminist.com/blog-posts/nice-guys-still-finish-last/…</a></p>
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<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><strong><span class="font-size-4">If you think you know the answer to the question in the title, you may still want to read my recently-published opinion piece on the Faithless Feminist. </span></strong></span></em></p>
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<p><a href="http://faithlessfeminist.com/blog-posts/nice-guys-still-finish-last/">http://faithlessfeminist.com/blog-posts/nice-guys-still-finish-last/</a></p>
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<p><em><span class="font-size-3">I'm a myth buster. My recent published book - Have We Been Screwed? Trading Freedom for Fairy Tales - can be purchased on Amazon.</span> </em></p>
<p><em><a rel="nofollow" href="http://amzn.to/2wDEabD">http://amzn.to/2wDEabD</a></em></p>Tooth-Level Micromanagementtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-19:2182797:BlogPost:27686512017-09-19T21:30:00.000ZRuth Anthony-Gardnerhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/RuthAnthonyGardner
<p>You know how some religions try to micromanage your life - like press your head to the ground 45 times a day and eat this not that. You thought a secular lifestyle would liberate you?</p>
<p>Today I had to replace my electric toothbrush. The only models available with circular action are designed for corporate micromanagement of my brushing technique. There are none without such "features".</p>
<blockquote><p>A helpful on-handle timer stutters every 30 seconds to let you know when it’s time…</p>
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<p>You know how some religions try to micromanage your life - like press your head to the ground 45 times a day and eat this not that. You thought a secular lifestyle would liberate you?</p>
<p>Today I had to replace my electric toothbrush. The only models available with circular action are designed for corporate micromanagement of my brushing technique. There are none without such "features".</p>
<blockquote><p>A helpful on-handle timer stutters every 30 seconds to let you know when it’s time to focus on brushing the next quadrant of your mouth.</p>
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<p>I don't brush one quadrant at a time.</p>
<blockquote><p>... <span>with an in-handle timer to help you brush for a dentist-recommended 2 minutes.</span></p>
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<p>I usually brush abut 3 1/2 minutes total.</p>
<p>You think the "free market" in electric toothbrushes gives you freedom? In North Korea each gender is allowed to choose from one of fifteen approved haircuts.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/nintchdbpict000201247150.jpg?strip=all&amp;w=680" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/nintchdbpict000201247150.jpg?strip=all&amp;w=680&amp;width=350" width="350" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3350823/north-koreas-barmy-list-of-15-state-approved-hairstyles-for-men-and-women/" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p>In the United States, circular-action electric toothbrush users are only allowed to choose from one of one approved techniques to brush their teeth. Monopoly capitalism - one fifteenth as free as the most repressive dictatorship on Earth.</p>
<p>If you crave even more surrender to your Oral B corporate overlord, you can pay <span>$219.99</span> for Bluetooth connectivity to an app and a SmartGuide.</p>
<p>At least the smart toothbrushes aren't reporting back to headquarters on your moment-to-moment compliance, the way my C-Pap reports to headquarters in Tennessee all night long to monitor every breath, just so they can cut off Medicare reimbursement if I don't follow their rules. Perhaps that toothbrush "feature" will be a 2018 upgrade.</p>
<p>Twenty years ago if somebody had predicted that toothbrushes would try to control how you brush your teeth, everyone would have laughed.</p>
<p><a href="https://bluffers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/queen-post.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://bluffers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/queen-post.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><a href="https://bluffers.com/how-to-conduct-yourself-at-a-royal-engagement/" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p>Will smart toilets soon tell us how to pee?</p>The Business of Importing Nuns and Prieststag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-18:2182797:BlogPost:27685482017-09-18T12:30:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Most countries import goods from all over the world. We love exotic fruits that are out of season. We drive foreign cars that continually create competition for manufacturers. We wear clothing that was made by people from the other side of the planet. But did you know that nuns and priests are being imported as well?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Shocking, isn't it?</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Last winter when I was in…</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Most countries import goods from all over the world. We love exotic fruits that are out of season. We drive foreign cars that continually create competition for manufacturers. We wear clothing that was made by people from the other side of the planet. But did you know that nuns and priests are being imported as well?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Shocking, isn't it?</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Last winter when I was in Spain, I went to the beautiful city of Granada with a friend whose choir was performing in a competition. I happen to love Granada, home of the famous Alhambra, so I happily joined the choir on the bus ride there and back and even enjoyed the group meals that the choir master had arranged. One of the evening meals took place after the performance at a nunnery. The nunnery itself was gorgeous and the old world setting created an unforgettable ambiance. The food was excellent and the price was right, but soon I discovered something rather surprising. The nuns were from the Philippines. Lovely young women who whisked about the large dining room waiting upon us like we were royalty.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Yet, not a Spaniard among them.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I soon learned that Spanish girls are vey, very reluctant to become nuns these days. Go figure. Once upon a time when Spain lived entirely under the crushing rule of the Catholic Church, families tended to become impatient if none of their children chose to become a priest or a nun. All good Catholic families had been heavily indoctrinated to believe that it was their duty to have lots of children for god and to sacrifice at least one of their offspring to his full-time service.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>But Spanish girls are having less and less to do with these old ideas any longer.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Their mothers can pray on their rosary beads all they want, the daughters are choosing to go to college or start a business or even live with a man instead of donning a veil and marrying Jesus. That's kind of how things work when more information is available to young people. Suddenly they realize they have choices and an actual say in how they want to live their lives.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Spain is only one of many European countries that is hemorrhaging nuns and priests.</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">America is also in the same boat. For all of our religiosity, fewer and fewer people are interested in a lifelong commitment to an old, outdated institution. Pope Francis is very concerned about the situation, but you know what, Pope Francis is an old man. He practically grew up in the Dark Ages and probably was so heavily indoctrinated as a child with the mumbo jumbo of the church, his parents, teachers and elders that like most young people of his time, he hardly had a chance to think for himself.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">But wait a minute! There's a shortage of priests, too.</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">My sister who is a registered nurse in Maine told me recently that Lewiston, once a staunch French Catholic community, has such a shortage of priests that when a patient requires the last rites, she often can't find an available priest to perform them. Imagine that! People dying without a man in a white collar to perform incantations and rituals.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The candlelight ritual, known as the Sacrament of the Last Rites, is administered in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice houses and private homes, but now comes with a catch. You better plan ahead, because the only ones who can perform the service -- are in short supply. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>I find this news to be encouraging.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Little by little, the old, archaic superstitions of the past are ending up in the dust bins along with ideas like demon possession and ridiculous costumes and rituals. Most importantly, more and more young people are refusing to be forced into a nunnery or the priesthood where they are told that it is their duty to sacrifice their one short life on this planet for the glory of god, the church and their families. To that I say, hallelujah!</span></p>
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<p><em><span class="font-size-3">I'm a myth buster. My recent published book - Have We Been Screwed? Trading Freedom for Fairy Tales - can be purchased on Amazon.</span> </em></p>
<p><em><a rel="nofollow" href="http://amzn.to/2wDEabD">http://amzn.to/2wDEabD</a></em></p>Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation: Book Reviewtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-17:2182797:BlogPost:27684432017-09-17T23:00:00.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><img class="align-left" src="http://api.ning.com/files/SMXYeV6uaRqLJVPRFz56Rt9*Wcks3gFIID4u2byGjo5NtLUSnnUxfUEZCcqefAVz2G-LegDUPARvy01dc6kBMQdXPAz*e2uT/FullSizeRender.jpg?width=200" width="200"></img></p>
<p>Revelations is easily one of the most controversial books in the Bible because of it<span class="s1">'s phantasmagoric and hallucinatory imagery as well as its catastrophic end of the world scenarios. Elaine Pagels brings together a book that is a literary mess as well as Halloween childishness. Nevertheless, her research into its history is impeccable.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><span>It is difficult to bring together a book, such as Revelations, that is at…</span></span></p>
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<p>Revelations is easily one of the most controversial books in the Bible because of it<span class="s1">'s phantasmagoric and hallucinatory imagery as well as its catastrophic end of the world scenarios. Elaine Pagels brings together a book that is a literary mess as well as Halloween childishness. Nevertheless, her research into its history is impeccable.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><span>It is difficult to bring together a book, such as Revelations, that is at once illusory and delusional but some understanding is brought about by Pagels who explains the history of John of Patmos, who is believed to have written the book of Revelations. Pagels not only makes sense of the book, she also ties in the politics of the day, which is intimately tied to the Roman Empire and its ventures into Jerusalem.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><span>With a close reading of "Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelations," Pagels makes it easy to see a plethora of prophets who seem populate every page and speculate as to Jesus intentions. Once Pagels reaches the apocalypse it is rendered in its gory writing. However, despite the CGI generated battles, Pagels makes it clear that book is in dispute to this day.</span></span></p>
<p class="p3"> Even though the book is immaculately researched and documented because of its focus on establishing its history, the politics of the time and the various Roman and Jewish players in the suppositious tale it is This not a quick read because of its explanatory nature and the apparitious<span class="s1"> nature of the entire book.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
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<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Nevertheless, it is a valuable book for those hoping to understand the Book of Revelations and how it came about. This review hardly does the boom justice but a worthy review of Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation: Would require more space than it is can be read in a so cooled"short" book review.</span> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
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<p class="p3"> Donaldu R Barbera</p>
<p class="p1"></p>Big Bang-A Collision of Universestag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-17:2182797:BlogPost:27681152017-09-17T14:30:44.000ZJameshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/James644
<p>I wonder if the Big Bang was caused by two or more universes colliding and merging together. Just imagine, a sea of universes moving through an eternal space. This could mean that some atoms, subatomic particles, and energy existed prior to the Big Bang, and the collision created a unique combination that is the observable universe in which we reside. We are far away from the edge of our universe and it may not ever be possible to ever observe anything that exists outside our universe, but…</p>
<p>I wonder if the Big Bang was caused by two or more universes colliding and merging together. Just imagine, a sea of universes moving through an eternal space. This could mean that some atoms, subatomic particles, and energy existed prior to the Big Bang, and the collision created a unique combination that is the observable universe in which we reside. We are far away from the edge of our universe and it may not ever be possible to ever observe anything that exists outside our universe, but it is an awe inspiring to contemplate the scale of a meta-universe.</p>The day I ran into a burning Building which was my officebuildingtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-15:2182797:BlogPost:27681502017-09-15T18:12:28.000ZImaginary Cat Ownerhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/ImaginaryCatOwner
<p>My Story Part 2<br></br> This series is not told in a chronological order but this is one of my first encounters with concrete danger in Syria during the first months of the war.<br></br> My bad luck landed me into working in the local TV station in the south of Syria, a TV station that had no political programs just boring talk shows and ”entertainment” which I was forced to endure 8 hours a day all day every day even on holidays.<br></br> I was the Supervisor Engineer/Technician and the deputy of this…</p>
<p>My Story Part 2<br/> This series is not told in a chronological order but this is one of my first encounters with concrete danger in Syria during the first months of the war.<br/> My bad luck landed me into working in the local TV station in the south of Syria, a TV station that had no political programs just boring talk shows and ”entertainment” which I was forced to endure 8 hours a day all day every day even on holidays.<br/>
I was the Supervisor Engineer/Technician and the deputy of this small station with its small crew 25.<br/>
Syria was going through radical changes, wealth for the first time was coming in. The new Private banks, Insurance companies, and many new factories have been hiring people with 5 times what government clerks will get. Those who are left behind are those who never bothered to get a useful university degree or had no private business of their own.<br/>
The rebellion started in a part of the city known for Drug trafficking on the third day the rebels burned the criminal court and the police station and the drug police agency. Which makes you wonder what kind of freedom starts with burning down criminals records?</p>
<p>Our station was in a high strategically position that overshadowed the city and we used to broadcast videos from the protests but at some point, the rebels start shooting police officers on the other side who prevented the rebels from going into the middle of the city. We caught them on camera and therefore we broke the myth of “peaceful protestors”.<br/> They were raged with anger and hurled to the TV station and threw Molotov bombs on it and let it burn into flames.<br/> I saw my workplace burning in high flames it was at night and the fire let the whole neighborhood.<br/>
My boss runs away to Damascus and that automatically made me the responsible: I called the fire department and they said they could not send any fire trucks because rebels have been shooting at it.<br/>
I called my Boss’s boss and he could not do anything since he was in Damascus.<br/>
I saw four of my co-workers and five neighbors watching the station burning into flames.<br/>
At that point, I did what sensible men will do: I stood in front of them and said:<br/>
“I need some volunteers to try to save the equipment’s that worth millions of dollars”<br/>
We had over 15 fire extinguishers Co2 and foam <br/>
We went inside put off the flame got tons of equipment out and saved the whole day and no one got hurt except few small burns and a guy got a freeze burn on his hand.<br/>
When my boss knew he got furious and screamed: “How DARE YOU TO PLAY THE HERO AT MY EXPENSE” . and he reduced my salary 50%</p>Charlatans and Gulliblestag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-15:2182797:BlogPost:27678502017-09-15T17:00:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Charlatans are not a new phenomenon.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">They've been around ever since humans discovered how easy it is to trick someone else into meeting their needs — be it giving them money, service or adoration. Although scamming folks is not solely the domain of the religious nor do only the superstitious succumb to such slick dicks, the ordained charlatan is a particularly loathsome critter.…</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Charlatans are not a new phenomenon.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">They've been around ever since humans discovered how easy it is to trick someone else into meeting their needs — be it giving them money, service or adoration. Although scamming folks is not solely the domain of the religious nor do only the superstitious succumb to such slick dicks, the ordained charlatan is a particularly loathsome critter.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">Societies have been burdened with so many con artists down through the ages that our vocabularies have grown an entire litany of names for such "sneaky Petes", none of which are complimentary. Swindler, cheat, con, fake, quack, phony, pretender, rip-off artist, sham, shyster, fortune-hunter, conniver, fraudster, double-crosser, shark, imposter, racketeer, hoaxer, horse trader, impersonator and counterfeiter are just a few synonyms for these sleazy members of society. Obviously, we really do loathe them and their traveling sideshows. I tend to refer to these despicable characters as A-holes. For the love of all that's sane, don't do business with them, marry them, have kids by them, start a nonprofit with them or administer charitable acts with them.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>If you succumb to a particularly virulent form of religious charlatan, I feel sorry for you.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Actually, since we're living in the age of information and great scientific discoveries, I find it difficult to be truly sympathetic with the throngs of willfully ignorant people who regularly fall hook, line and sinker for these nasty religious charlatans. Whether they're claiming to have the power to grow your finances, heal your body or turn your life around, the only thing they ever accomplish is stealing your money. Yet, people continue to amaze me with their overwhelming need for a hero, someone to save them so they won't have to think for themselves.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">They say a sucker is born every minute. As long as we have those who embrace superstition, old outdated ideas like demon possession, heaven, hell, the devil, gods, holy books and holy buildings, charlatans are going to thrive.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>I'm a myth buster. My recent published book - Have We Been Screwed? Trading Freedom for Fairy Tales - can be purchased on Amazon. </em></p>
<p><em><a rel="nofollow" href="http://amzn.to/2wDEabD">http://amzn.to/2wDEabD</a></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"> </span></p>Hourglasstag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-13:2182797:BlogPost:27668082017-09-13T16:30:00.000ZJameshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/James644
<p>Right now I am above ground, breathing, thinking, and feeling. I'm not sure how much time I have left in this life, none of us do, but I'm likely to live into old age, statistically speaking. I could go on to develop an incurable, deadly disease, or even die in a head collision today by something completely outside my control. I do have some control in life, some free choice you know. I think I make rather good decisions that will help extend my life. Ultimately, though, I do not know how…</p>
<p>Right now I am above ground, breathing, thinking, and feeling. I'm not sure how much time I have left in this life, none of us do, but I'm likely to live into old age, statistically speaking. I could go on to develop an incurable, deadly disease, or even die in a head collision today by something completely outside my control. I do have some control in life, some free choice you know. I think I make rather good decisions that will help extend my life. Ultimately, though, I do not know how large the hourglass is and/or how much sand is left. When my time comes, I may be aware of my imminent death, but then there will be nothing. No fear, no pain, no suffering. Not even silence. Just nothing. How peaceful that sounds, even though I won't even be aware of the peaceful silence. </p>
<p></p>
<p>There is so much to live for still and so much to understand. I don't think we've come close to knowing the universe as a species. It's sad to know that I will die not knowing or understanding most things in this universe. I wonder how much knowledge we each could accumulate if we lived to be nearly a millennia instead of nearly a century. How would we pass the time? Would we reach nirvana, ataraxia, or some other inner balance by balancing our knowledge of nature with living in that nature? Would we become unconcerned with the plight of beings that lived only a century, like we are now with the brief life cycle of a housefly? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Our neurons, so wondrous they are, firing away, contemplating the universe and the self while they try to survive. That is what we are, an amalgamation of neurons strung together into self-aware neural tissue. Too bad we do not see this significant aspect of our true selves in the mirror. All we see is the presentable wrappings of our outer, other selves(or half), the protective, layers. They were selected for as every bit as much as the neurons were and they are dependent on one another. Our cells, however specialized, are dependent on each other for survival. They define each other by existing alongside one another. Our bodies depend on other bodies and life forms. It is the ecology of nature. All in an interdependent web of existences. The home of the Cosmic Spider, about to feed on the organic hourglass.</p>NOTHING LIKE A GOOD WARtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-12:2182797:BlogPost:27658492017-09-12T18:00:00.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/poLa*847lJzRVk0L91catpyBiECdkt6YR6rEx-rt08TnDtU*WVaHtTxaFss7yJpfb-WtxHbANskl83JJa*0fJEDbmIjodqzd/armageddon.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/poLa*847lJzRVk0L91catpyBiECdkt6YR6rEx-rt08TnDtU*WVaHtTxaFss7yJpfb-WtxHbANskl83JJa*0fJEDbmIjodqzd/armageddon.jpg?width=300" width="300"></img></a> For all their sanctimonious talk of pro-life, the Evangelical Right likes nothing better than a good war. When the bombs start falling and the bullets flying, the Christian Right becomes orgasmic at the prospect of death and destruction as many believe that war with North Korea will lead to Armageddon predicted the…</p>
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/poLa*847lJzRVk0L91catpyBiECdkt6YR6rEx-rt08TnDtU*WVaHtTxaFss7yJpfb-WtxHbANskl83JJa*0fJEDbmIjodqzd/armageddon.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/poLa*847lJzRVk0L91catpyBiECdkt6YR6rEx-rt08TnDtU*WVaHtTxaFss7yJpfb-WtxHbANskl83JJa*0fJEDbmIjodqzd/armageddon.jpg?width=300" width="300" class="align-right"/></a>For all their sanctimonious talk of pro-life, the Evangelical Right likes nothing better than a good war. When the bombs start falling and the bullets flying, the Christian Right becomes orgasmic at the prospect of death and destruction as many believe that war with North Korea will lead to Armageddon predicted the Bible’s Book of Revelation tied in with this foolishness is the continuing war in the Middle East.</p>
<p>While only 36 percent of all Americans believe that the Bible is God's Word and should be taken literally, 59 percent say they believe that events predicted in the Book of Revelation will come to pass. Almost one out of four Americans believe that 9/11 was predicted in the Bible, and nearly one in five believes that he or she will live long enough to see the end of the world. Even more significant for this study, over one-third of those Americans who support Israel report that they do so because they believe the Bible teaches that the Jews must possess their own country in the Holy Land before Jesus can return.<a title="">[1]</a></p>
<p>This type of apocalyptic thinking leads many to the totally unfounded belief they will see the afterworld spoken of in the Bible, a type of fatalism that is irrational and dangerous. The peril of this catastrophic yearning comes from the idea that for many evangelicals, In their view America, as God’s instrument, should encourage wars and chaos in North Korea and the Middle East in order to “hurry up” God and His agenda<em>.</em> <a title="">[2]</a></p>
<p>Belief in apocalyptic prophecy is widespread in the United States. During the first Gulf War, 14% of one CNN national poll thought it was the beginning of Armageddon, and “American bookstores were experiencing a run on books about prophecy and the end of the world.”<a title="">[3]</a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chip-berlet/pastor-hagees-armageddon_b_103161.html#notes"></a> In 1993, 20% of those polled thought the second coming of Christ would occur near the year 2000.<a title="">[4]</a> When the United States and the Soviet Union locked in a nuclear arms race the same issues surfaced when I was attending school.</p>
<p>Much was made of the Russian Bear and the American Eagle fitting the same portion of the Book of Revelation, including the tying the fire of nuclear explosions to verses in the Bible referring to the flames associated with the destruction God would wreak on non-Christians. The unusual fixation with the end of the world, in particular, the details of describing how God “will then (brutally) kill the entire human race except for Christians” (for many meaning “born again” Christians). <a title=""><sup><sup>[5]</sup></sup></a></p>
<p>The <em>Book of Revelation</em> is the integral passion of their foreign policy, their belief that the founding of Israel foretells the imminent Second Coming, conversion or death for Jews and eternal happiness for themselves in Heaven. In their view America, as God’s instrument should encourage wars and chaos in order to “hurry up” God and His agenda. One of their leaders is John Hagee, founder of <em>Christians United for Israel.</em> Senator Lieberman is a friend and favored speaker at his events. I have described The Strangest Alliance in History about how each side thinks it is using the other for its own ends.</p>
<p>Harold Camping predicted the end of the world as May 21, 2011, at exactly 6 pm (sunset in Jerusalem). Of course, that date is long past, but the death wish of many Christians continues unabated. The number of predictions about the world’s end number into the hundreds if not the thousands; yet, the world is still here. The news has yet to sink in because many on the Evangelical Right believe that by promoting or encouraging war with North Korea, the biblical prediction will occur.</p>
<p>All this shows how evangelical leaders put support for wars ahead of their social values. Their support includes every new law giving Washington ever greater police powers over American citizens, such as the Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act and the recent National Defense Authorization Act which tear asunder much of the Bill of Rights. Most also supported torture of prisoners of war (with the notable exception of Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship). All this comes with their “social values.” <a title="">[6]</a></p>
<p>Tying this all together is a problem that came to me unannounced. I distant relative died and left a considerable amount of money to me. He also left me a deed to the Golden Gate Bridge but I can’t afford the taxes. If you know anyone that might be interested in purchasing this landmark, I’d be willing to let it go for an extremely favorable price. Take my word for it.</p>
<p><em>(This is a clip from a longer piece I did for a Dallas religious site. It was fun. I got some anonymous comments that I suspect were from closet non-believers. Anyway, my preacher friend thanked me for stretching a few minds)</em></p>
<div><br clear="all"/><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"/><div><p><a title="">[1]</a> Timothy P. Weber, On the Road to Armageddon, How evangelicals became Israel's best friend, beliefnet, <a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/End-Times/On-The-Road-To-Armageddon.aspx">http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/End-Times/On-The-Road-To-Armageddon.aspx</a></p>
</div>
<div><p><a title="">[2]</a> Jon Basil Utley, Evangelicals, Ron Paul and War, The American Conservative,<u> </u> January 20, 2012, <a href="http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/2012/01/20/evangelicals-ron-paul-and-war/">http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/2012/01/20/evangelicals-ron-paul-and-war/</a></p>
</div>
<div><p><a title="">[3]</a> Lamy, Millennium Rage , p. 155. See also: Boyer, When Time Shall Be No More, pp. 327-31</p>
</div>
<div><p><a title="">[4]</a> Sara Diamond, Political Millennialism within the Evangelical Subculture, in Charles B. Strozier and Michael Flynn, <i>The Year 2000: Essays on the End</i> (New York: NYU Press, 1997), p. 210</p>
</div>
<div><p><a title="">[5]</a> Jon Basil Utley, Evangelicals, Ron Paul and War, The American Conservative,<u> </u> January 20, 2012, <a href="http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/2012/01/20/evangelicals-ron-paul-and-war/">http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/2012/01/20/evangelicals-ron-paul-and-war/</a></p>
</div>
<div><p><a title="">[6]</a> Jon Basil Utley, Evangelicals, Ron Paul and War, The American Conservative,<u> </u> January 20, 2012, <a href="http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/2012/01/20/evangelicals-ron-paul-and-war/">http://www.theamericanconservative.com/blog/2012/01/20/evangelicals-ron-paul-and-war/</a></p>
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</div>My story Part 1tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-11:2182797:BlogPost:27655752017-09-11T21:41:31.000ZImaginary Cat Ownerhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/ImaginaryCatOwner
<p>I will tell my story to complete strangers because I have no one else to tell it to:</p>
<p>After having a near death experience for the 9<sup>th</sup> time I decided to stop playing Russian Roulette with my life and leave Syria. </p>
<p>I was in Damascus at that time, all my papers were in Daraa, and sadly, the Army had the city under siege while the rebels were bombing it nonstop.</p>
<p>I managed to get my family out of it (parents and sister).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All my papers were in my…</p>
<p>I will tell my story to complete strangers because I have no one else to tell it to:</p>
<p>After having a near death experience for the 9<sup>th</sup> time I decided to stop playing Russian Roulette with my life and leave Syria. </p>
<p>I was in Damascus at that time, all my papers were in Daraa, and sadly, the Army had the city under siege while the rebels were bombing it nonstop.</p>
<p>I managed to get my family out of it (parents and sister).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All my papers were in my parent's house ( Engineering Diploma, my post master graduation degree, my training certificates, everything I worked hard for. All my life work is in an envelope in my parents' house and there is no chance in hell I will leave Syria without it even if I get killed in the process.</p>
<p>I went the first time with a Taxi since we sold our car a few months ago and the Taxi owner wanted to go back to Daraa to get some stuff. I asked my father for the house key and he gave it to me. I asked him 3 times to make sure: are you sure this is the right key and he said yes.</p>
<p>I entered the city using my work's ID that enabled me to bypass many security points since I had a mobile network field Engineer. The moment I stepped out the Taxi to go into my parents’ house missiles started to fall around the city. The Taxi drove away so fast leaving me there. I rushed to the door to open it only to find I have been giving the wrong key.</p>
<p>I was standing against a closed door and missiles are falling everywhere. nowhere to run nowhere to hide.</p>
<p>My only chance of survival was to run to the city entrance in hope of finding a car or a bus because it is the main bus station. I ran for 5 km and when I was 500 meter near it a small missile hit near the bus station and all the cars and busses disappeared.</p>
<p>After some time there were some cars fleeing but they were all full. After 20 minutes a car came by, I jumped into it and we got out of the city.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few days later I came back with a car I took the whole set of keys from my father this time and hurled into the door, my father locked every door in our big house.</p>
<p> 40 doors with 40 untagged keys.</p>
<p>My hands were shaking and the keys kept on falling on the floor I managed to reach the second floor where my room is, I looked at it for the last time and grabbed only what is precious to me. My papers and a small bag that contained every gift my past lovers gave me.</p>
<p>I jumped into the car that is when fire shooting started: BUT THEN I WAS OUT OF THE CITY:</p>
<p>Sadly, the small bag of sentimental value got lost when I send them from Turkey to Germany, even though I begged my sister to pick it up from the post office but she never did.</p>
<p>I send my papers with my cousin who flew to Germany legally and he send it from East Germany to my sister's house in NRW but the envelope never reached her.</p>
<p>And I lost my mind in the process. I thought I lost them for ever but after 25 days it appeared at my sister's door</p>Only In America?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-11:2182797:BlogPost:27649012017-09-11T15:30:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>If you've never been to Spain and you like to travel, put it on your bucket list.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I've been returning to Spain for twelve years, often staying for my 90-day limit on my passport. There are loads of reasons why I fell in love with Spain, but one that I often fail to remember is that like much of Europe, Spain is far more secular than the US. That's no small accomplishment considering their crushing history…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>If you've never been to Spain and you like to travel, put it on your bucket list.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I've been returning to Spain for twelve years, often staying for my 90-day limit on my passport. There are loads of reasons why I fell in love with Spain, but one that I often fail to remember is that like much of Europe, Spain is far more secular than the US. That's no small accomplishment considering their crushing history with the Catholic church. Spaniards, however, aren't all that religious these days. Oh, sure, they still have big weddings in their ancient cathedrals which attract loads of tourists, but regular attendance has dropped off, dramatically. And, even if there are a few diehard old women that still carry their rosary beads close to their hearts, for the most part, I rarely run into that special breed of Christian that is peculiar to the US — what I like to call the cross-eyed cousins of Christianity. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>You know what I'm talking about.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The thousands of little splinter groups spread across the midwest, deep south and good old Texas that foster ignorance, patriarchy and superstition. Some of the groups aren't so little either. The Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses come to mind as two large groups that are particularly aggressive proselytizers with a weird history of an all-American homegrown variety. Only in America have I encountered this unusual phenomenon. Hell, I was raised in a home grown cult.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>I have what you might call firsthand experience with wacky.</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">So ...</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">you might be able to imagine how very, very, very much I enjoy my Spain winters in my apartment on the Mediterranean without ever having to worry that a crazy person on a mission to save my soul would come knocking at my door. But wait a minute!</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">America exports our weirdest beliefs and apparently, they've found some fertile minds to infect. </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Last year, I was indulging in one of my favorite pastimes, walking the promenade along the Mediterranean in the glorious Andualucian sunshine. It's pure bliss to stop along the way and order a Spanish coffee while seated outdoors. On this particular morning, however, I was approached by a well-dressed woman with a serious countenance who wanted to know if she could ask me a question. I was feeling really relaxed and friendly, so I said, yes.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">The woman proceeded to ask me this question.</span></strong></p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-3">"Do you think the world will be a more dangerous or less dangerous place to live in twenty years?"</span></em></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Ding! My alert system kicked in.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">This was no ordinary question. I scanned her face and then her hands. Ahhhh, yes, there it was ... that obnoxious piece of religious propaganda called The Watch Tower. Apparently, a cross-eyed American Christian had converted this woman.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Needless to say, I wasn't very amused.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I'd traveled an incredible distance to get away from such nonsense and here it was right in my face. So, I told her exactly what she didn't want to hear. I told her that the world would most likely be a better place because currently, I was already lucky enough to be alive during the best day and age thus far to be woman in many parts of the world. Furthermore, thankfully, superstitions were dying off and science was now solving many problems for humanity. In fact, iff we manage to continue on this path, things most probably will get better and better.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Of course, no cross-eyed American Christian ever wants to hear that things are better.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Of course not! They want things to get worse until finally the world ends and people who disagree with their ideology will be cast into outer darkness — forever. They're standing on the fringe with a nasty gleam in their eyes, rubbing hands together and smiling a white toothed shark smile at the sheer thought of such devastation to the likes of me.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I finally did tell her that I was an American and that the last thing that I wanted to do while spending time in Spain was to deal with a Jehovah Witness. She politely moved on and I'm sure prayed for me for some days afterwards.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Yes, I love the fact that Europe is far more liberal and definitely less religious that America.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I'll keep going to Spain for the winter as long as I can, but I sure do wish we'd stop exporting some of the stupidest religious ideas on the planet.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Couldn't we focus instead on something constructive like, oh, I don't know ... perfecting the driverless car? </span></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>I'm a myth buster. My recent published book - Have We Been Screwed? Trading Freedom for Fairy Tales - can be purchased on Amazon. </em></p>
<p><em><a rel="nofollow" href="http://amzn.to/2wDEabD"><font>http://amzn.to/2wDEabD</font></a></em></p>Canaries and Coal Mines and What to Do About Themtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-11:2182797:BlogPost:27657232017-09-11T14:00:00.000ZLoren Millerhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/LorenMiller
<p><i>... your Earth was crumbling all around you. You've got simultaneous epidemics of obesity and starvation. Explain that one! Bees and butterflies start to disappear, the glaciers melt, algae blooms. All around you the coal mine canaries are dropping dead and you won't take the hint! In every moment there's the possibility of a better future, but you people won't believe it. And because you won't believe it you won't do what is necessary to make it a reality. So, you dwell on this…</i></p>
<p><i>... your Earth was crumbling all around you. You've got simultaneous epidemics of obesity and starvation. Explain that one! Bees and butterflies start to disappear, the glaciers melt, algae blooms. All around you the coal mine canaries are dropping dead and you won't take the hint! In every moment there's the possibility of a better future, but you people won't believe it. And because you won't believe it you won't do what is necessary to make it a reality. So, you dwell on this terrible future. You resign yourselves to it for one reason, because <b>that</b> future does not ask anything of you today.</i><br/> -- Hugh Laurie as Governor Nix, <u>Tomorrowland</u><br/> <br/> This part of a speech from an otherwise okay to mediocre movie gives a frightening yet accurate vision of those who either cannot or will not be involved in rescuing this planet from our own collective ineptitude. Put simply, there are those who just can't be stirred to act, can't be bothered, are so self-involved that action even to save themselves is too much to ask. It reminds me too much of the believers’ “Jesus, Take the Wheel” mindset, which wants their savior to relieve them of the responsibility and burden of living their own lives.<br/> <br/> More than anything else, <b>THIS</b> I suspect is what we're up against: the indifference and inertia of those who figure that it's either not their problem or see themselves as impotent to change it. Or they’d rather just stare into their cell phones, update their Facebook page or play another game of Candy Crush than even acknowledge that there is a problem that needs to be solved and that they could participate in its solution.<br/> <br/> <i>Commit, Josephson! If you’re not committed to anything, you’re just taking up space!</i><br/> -- Gregory Peck as David Stillwell, <u>Mirage</u><br/> <br/> Honestly, I wonder if people can be shamed or goaded into commitment anymore. Back in the days of John F. Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” it might have been possible. The problem is that Watergate came not long after that, and then Iran-Contra and Monica Lewinsky and too many other governmental fuck-ups for them to be able to claim any kind of moral high ground. Evangelical Christians, at least some of them, are committed to their beliefs, but some are merely along for the ride, covering themselves with Pascal’s Wager … <i>just</i> in case, you understand.<br/> <br/> And so it is left to those of us who actually give a damn. We repeatedly petition the Congress people and write the newspapers and poke and prod and cajole and harass until something gets done. Whereupon we might cheer for a while and pat ourselves on the back before tackling the <i>next</i> critical issue that no one else wants to admit needs attention.<br/> <br/> It’s a lousy, stinking, thankless job … but <i>somebody’s</i> got to do it.</p>Where Were You?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-10:2182797:BlogPost:27652072017-09-10T17:56:07.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OPQHVfBDC*aoM5kKo-kQWi0rt3J7O0cvL*nZ*GV8*of-f2BRYDSHp8gEMm6Wxu7uszxS7paPPmW2jgXHWWKqF2zCv1UkJOja/whereisgod.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OPQHVfBDC*aoM5kKo-kQWi0rt3J7O0cvL*nZ*GV8*of-f2BRYDSHp8gEMm6Wxu7uszxS7paPPmW2jgXHWWKqF2zCv1UkJOja/whereisgod.jpg?width=315" width="315"></img></a> Where were you when 150 mph winds and record rains visited Houston. Where were you when people drowned when the water created currents strong enough to sweep away pickup trucks. Where were you when 52 inches of water destroyed homes and killed more than 70 people. Where were you when two-week-old babies drowned or…</p>
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OPQHVfBDC*aoM5kKo-kQWi0rt3J7O0cvL*nZ*GV8*of-f2BRYDSHp8gEMm6Wxu7uszxS7paPPmW2jgXHWWKqF2zCv1UkJOja/whereisgod.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OPQHVfBDC*aoM5kKo-kQWi0rt3J7O0cvL*nZ*GV8*of-f2BRYDSHp8gEMm6Wxu7uszxS7paPPmW2jgXHWWKqF2zCv1UkJOja/whereisgod.jpg?width=315" width="315" class="align-left"/></a>Where were you when 150 mph winds and record rains visited Houston. Where were you when people drowned when the water created currents strong enough to sweep away pickup trucks. Where were you when 52 inches of water destroyed homes and killed more than 70 people. Where were you when two-week-old babies drowned or their mothers were separated from them?</p>
<p>The answer is easy—nowhere! Despite the obvious of the absence of God, Evangelist Minister Kevin Swanson chose to blame it on Houston’s openly gay former mayor Annice Parker. All around asshole, Ann Coulter, couldn’t wait to drop her two two cents into the dumb barrel by saying,“I don't believe Hurricane Harvey is God's punishment for Houston electing a lesbian mayor. But that is more credible than "climate change”<a title="">[1]</a></p>
<p>Parker’s response cut deep. “I was dealing with busloads of people who’d been evacuated from eight and ten feet of water and I was focused on doing the right thing there,” she said. “So I didn’t look at Twitter for, like, three days. And so, it was a delayed response. Someone pointed it out to me, and I just started laughing hysterically. Something that absurd, that kind of mean-spirited, absurd remark, you don’t deal with – you don’t try to deal rationally with stupid. You just run with it.”<a title="">[2]</a></p>
<p>End Times radio host Rick Wiles used his “TruNews” broadcast yesterday to declare that the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey is God’s punishment for Houston’s “affinity for the sexual perversion movement.”<a title="">[3]</a></p>
<p>The pure ignorance of these comments can not be measured regularly except as Annise Parker pointed out, in levels of stupidity.</p>
<p>So, the obvious question is where was the omnibenevolent God of Christianity when his children need benevolence in spades? Of course, nowhere to be found or nonexistent. The latter is a better bet. What about the omniscient radar of the God know everything before it happens? Was it offline? Perhaps it lost power. Maybe someone pulled the plug or may be there never any power. What about the title of all-powerful on any level. Creator of the universe, Lord of all or was it Lord of the Rings. Where is he when his children suffer in Houston.Nowhere and he won’t be coming.</p>
<p>Instead, plain old people will be left to clean up his mess. People will do what he couldn’t—stopped the storm.</p>
<div><br clear="all"/><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"/><div><p><a title="">[1]</a> ." <a href="https://twitter.com/POLITICOMag/status/902364893940154368">https://twitter.com/POLITICOMag/status/902364893940154368</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[2]</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/michelangelo-signorile">Michelangelo Signorile</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/annise-parker-ann-coulter_us_59b153a5e4b0354e440fdb68">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/annise-parker-ann-coulter_us_59b153a5e4b0354e440fdb68</a></p>
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<div><h1><span class="font-size-1"><a title="">[3]</a> <strong>Pastor Rick Wiles: God Punished Houston With Harvey Because They Love “LGBT Sexual Perversion,” August 30, 2017</strong></span></h1>
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</div>Do We Really Learn from History?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-07:2182797:BlogPost:27647362017-09-07T20:00:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p><span class="font-size-3">I've been thinking about Spain today and an acquaintance of mine who I've known for almost 12 years. He happens to own a beautiful family run hotel with a million dollar view perched high in the mountains of southern Spain. He is old enough to remember the Franco era. For those of you who may not know, Francisco Franco was the facsist dictator of Spain who rose to power during the Spanish Civil War in 1939 until his death. After his death Spain became a democracy.…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I've been thinking about Spain today and an acquaintance of mine who I've known for almost 12 years. He happens to own a beautiful family run hotel with a million dollar view perched high in the mountains of southern Spain. He is old enough to remember the Franco era. For those of you who may not know, Francisco Franco was the facsist dictator of Spain who rose to power during the Spanish Civil War in 1939 until his death. After his death Spain became a democracy. Franco came into power with the help of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. The resistance consisted of numerous factions who, unfortunately, could never unify and many were brutally murdered or put in political prisons. This scenario conjures up many similarities with what recently happened in the last election. I'm continuously surprised at the parallels. </span></p>
<div class="text_exposed_show"><p><span class="font-size-3">When people ask what it would take to get a Trump supporter to regret voting him into office, I'm reminded of my friend Pepe who proudly owns a little private museum where he keeps a very impressive collection of Franco memorabilia including a black and white photo of him standing with Franco and a few other important dignitaries. Pepe still misses Franco. He has never regretted being part of that brutal movement to this day. Such is the human brain when it comes to changing our minds. We latch on to a belief or thought and it becomes dominant, often defining who we think we are and how we solve problems. Our brains often sabotage our own well being, over and over again.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Pepe is a man who loves his kids and works hard to provide for his family, but when he invites guests to enter his little shrine for Franco, they are often speechless and unprepared for what they encounter. I was one of those guests once upon a time. There were about 12 of us staying at the hotel. An entire British walking group enjoying their adventures on the surrounding mountain paths and I were escorted to see his little, private museum. None of us knew what to say when we saw it. We could barely look at one another except behind Pepe's back with raised eyebrows. His pride was evident and it flew in the face of our knowledge of history. It opened my eyes to the limitations of the human brain to reach logical conclusions. People don't surprise me any more.</span></p>
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<p><em>Teresa is the author of several books. She explores creative paths to freedom, alternative lifestyles, living without debt and cultural expectations that limit our potential. She is a myth buster by trade. Her most recent book Have We been Screwed? Trading Freedom fro Fairy Tales can be purchased on Amazon.</em> <a href="http://amzn.to/2wMzGC7">http://amzn.to/2wMzGC7</a></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Screwed-Trading-Freedom-Fairy-Tales-ebook/dp/B074XKCTB1/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1505572735&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=have+we+been+screwed+trading+freedom+for+fairy+tales&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=forwayhypinc-20&amp;linkId=820f5096a50e3f441401694e282dd63b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B074XKCTB1&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=forwayhypinc-20"/></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=forwayhypinc-20&amp;l=li2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B074XKCTB1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;"/></p>Empathy, Christianity and DACAtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-05:2182797:BlogPost:27643442017-09-05T13:00:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p><span class="font-size-3">I'm an empath. In fact, I register rather high on the empathy spectrum. That means that I was born with the capacity to not only sympathize with the pain of others but to FEEL the pain and suffering of complete strangers in my own body. It's a mixed blessing. Often, even as a child, I was confounded, perplexed and infuriated by the apparent lack of empathy and compassion that many people of faith seemed in desperate need of, especially if they were to follow in the…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I'm an empath. In fact, I register rather high on the empathy spectrum. That means that I was born with the capacity to not only sympathize with the pain of others but to FEEL the pain and suffering of complete strangers in my own body. It's a mixed blessing. Often, even as a child, I was confounded, perplexed and infuriated by the apparent lack of empathy and compassion that many people of faith seemed in desperate need of, especially if they were to follow in the path of their mentor and moral model, Jesus Christ. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>This morning as I await the message on the decision about DACA ...</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I feel the pain of 800,000 young people who I know are suffering mental anguish and uncertainly. <span>I feel sad today. I feel sad today because I know that these young people are waiting for someone, some god, some inspired resolution to intercede on their behalf. I'm sad today because over and over and over again, human inflicted suffering is our story. I'm sad today because as an empath, I woke up feeling the pain in my body of thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands .... of children down through the ages, across the entire planet who were brought into this world where adults can't be trusted to do the right thing.</span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span><strong>Furthermore, I am once again disturbed at the number of believers, people of some sort of faith, who can close their hearts to the suffering of others.</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span>I'm not surprised but </span></span><font size="3">forever disappointed that some of the most devout choose to take a stand on the wrong side of history. I have to remind myself that according to recent research it may be possible that humans are either born with the empathy gene or not, making it impossible for them to ever feel much empathy. Maybe they can be taught to sympathize but not empathize.</font></p>
<p><font size="3"><strong>Those that live in that gray area as largely apathetic humans are only able to feel their own suffering.</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="3">They constitute a good portion of any population, Christian or not. They tend to either not care about issues that don't directly affect them or if push comes to shove will often take the wrong side because they fear the sociopaths who are in power. Historical outcomes are clearly influenced by this large group of people that sit on the moral fence waiting to see which side of their bread gets buttered before they'll take a stand. </font></p>
<p><strong><font size="3">I know all of this but it still bothers me to see such outright hypocrisy coming from those who claim to have a moral compass that is divinely inspired.</font></strong></p>
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<p><em><font size="3">I'm a myth buster. My recent published book - Have We Been Screwed? Trading Freedom for Fairy Tales - can be purchased on Amazon. </font></em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://amzn.to/2wDEabD"><font size="3">http://amzn.to/2wDEabD</font></a></em></p>
<p></p>God Bless Texas?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-02:2182797:BlogPost:27639402017-09-02T14:00:14.000ZLoren Millerhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/LorenMiller
<p>I was driving home after celebrating my wife’s twin sons’ 32<sup>nd</sup> birthdays, having enjoyed excellent lasagna, salad, and homemade ice-cream-cake, in the company of some very good people. Cruising north on Ohio I-77, the powerful, easy grace of my Mustang GT thrilled my senses as we charged north toward Cuyahoga County and home. What was totally unexpected was the display proffered by an electronic billboard, off to my left. In bold primary colors, it displayed the Lone Star flag…</p>
<p>I was driving home after celebrating my wife’s twin sons’ 32<sup>nd</sup> birthdays, having enjoyed excellent lasagna, salad, and homemade ice-cream-cake, in the company of some very good people. Cruising north on Ohio I-77, the powerful, easy grace of my Mustang GT thrilled my senses as we charged north toward Cuyahoga County and home. What was totally unexpected was the display proffered by an electronic billboard, off to my left. In bold primary colors, it displayed the Lone Star flag and above that, the message: GOD BLESS TEXAS.<br/> <br/> Puzzlement at such a message should only be natural among those who actively engage their intellectual facilities. If the god proposed by the majority of believers in this country if not elsewhere is the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent being they allege, then he must also be a textbook case of manic-depressive disorder at least and dissociative personality disorder at worst. What kind of deity would so completely and devastatingly attack such a considerable area as that of southeast Texas, using the mechanism of a stalled tropical depression to draw vast quantities of water from the Gulf of Mexico and then dump them on the cities of that coastline AND THEN come to their aid after the fact? This is far less the behavior I would expect of a loving, nurturing god than it reflects actions I would anticipate from an abusive spouse, attacking one second then apologizing and offering faux-support the next.<br/> <br/> What makes all of the above even more absurd is that there is no sign whatsoever of Yahweh’s direct hand in the recovery process to this date. No supernatural intervention has shown itself in Houston or Port Arthur or Beaumont or any of the multiple other municipalities which were hammered by Hurricane Harvey. Whatever hands are involved in rescue or providing food or shelter or managing what I would now hope is a falling tide of water, they are <i>human</i> hands. Plain folk are flying the rescue helicopters or piloting the boats or delivering people to shelters or making sure they’ve had something to eat and a place to sleep. Finally, when the flood has receded and residents attempt to reinvent their lives and rebuild, those will also be the actions of ordinary people, helping themselves and each other to reclaim their homesteads and piece back together what had been torn apart.<br/> <br/> And just what did that tearing in the first place? Nature. A natural force called a hurricane, possibly enhanced by the results of climate change, ripped through those communities and did that damage because that’s what the local meteorological conditions caused it to do. It was a massive incident of positive entropy, which will have to be met by the positive intention of those hardest hit by it to resist and persist against that force.<br/> <br/> We’re talking about humankind against nature here, a contest which has gone on for thousands of years and will continue to do so, whether we like it or not. It is a truism that, in the final analysis, the universe doesn’t care about us, and if we are to survive, we must care for and about each other. No unseen, intangible god will make so much as a whit of difference, one way or the other.<br/> <br/> The weight is on us.</p>Back Again, after a long bit of fun Trolling Right Wing groups like Prager University. :Dtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-01:2182797:BlogPost:27636182017-09-01T23:00:11.000ZDyslexic's DOGhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/DislexicDoggy
<p>Trolling is like debating, I learn a lot from trolling, so I've been Trolling Prager University as myself since the time Trumpty Dumbty started his run for presidency.</p>
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<p>Since then I've learned a lot about American History, Economics, The Constitution, the history of Fascism and Nazism along with Mussolini's biography and other things I was clueless on before I started trolling. </p>
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<p>There are lots of Creationists and people with less than a year 10…</p>
<p>Trolling is like debating, I learn a lot from trolling, so I've been Trolling Prager University as myself since the time Trumpty Dumbty started his run for presidency.</p>
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<p>Since then I've learned a lot about American History, Economics, The Constitution, the history of Fascism and Nazism along with Mussolini's biography and other things I was clueless on before I started trolling. </p>
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<p>There are lots of Creationists and people with less than a year 10 education (so it appears) following Dennis Prager and his Right Wing Biased propaganda.</p>
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<p>He has lecturers like Prof. Carol Swain only telling half truths and thus lying by omission, such as Carol pretends that the Southern Strategy of Nixon's didn't drag white supremacists over to the Republican party behind Barry Goldwater, so as to make his Right Wing fans feel good, in that the white supremacists are still mostly Democrats like before Nixon. Though they ignore the fact that Charlottesville proves them wrong.</p>
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<p>Most are irrational, as they hate Science, and think white supremacists (which is based on fundamental conservatism) would still favour a party that is now comparatively liberal and progressive and not follow a party like GOP that is of the same ideology as themselves. :D That's amusing in itself. </p>
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<p>Prager produces lots of fallacious videos supporting:</p>
<p>Climate Change Denial.</p>
<p>Creationism</p>
<p>Christianity </p>
<p>Zionism </p>
<p>Free Market Capitalism (Reaganomics or his idea of Trickle Down Economics) </p>
<p>Privatisation of Education and Charter Schools</p>
<p>Fossil Fuels</p>
<p>Fascism (Dennis Prager appears to support fascism and many of his ideas and videos are fascist).</p>
<p>False Dichotomous and Straw Man attacks on: Liberals, Progressives, BLM, The Left, Atheists, Evolution, Democrats, Socialism and Public Education. </p>
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<p>Prager is and his army of extremely dumb university students are trying to push his videos onto university campuses around the world. :( </p>
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<p>So if you want to troll people who are deliberately being led away from reality, Prager University is the site to be. ;D </p>
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<p></p>Why can't the Bible be this accurate in prophecy?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-01:2182797:BlogPost:27637752017-09-01T15:32:34.000ZRich Gosshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/RichardGoscicki
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<p>When I first read the following line by H.L. Mencken I could hardly believe how accurate it was (at the time. W. Bush had just been elected.) But now it's even more accurate than ever.</p>
<p>"On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."</p>
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<p>When I first read the following line by H.L. Mencken I could hardly believe how accurate it was (at the time. W. Bush had just been elected.) But now it's even more accurate than ever.</p>
<p>"On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."</p>
</div>What If I'm Wrong?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-09-01:2182797:BlogPost:27635032017-09-01T15:30:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>What if I'm wrong?</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">That question has been asked by many believers with the intent of haunting me into submission out of fear. Fear is a great way to control people. We see it all the time, not only coming from believers trying to save nonbelievers from hellfire and brimstone, but also from politicians trying to convince us that some imminent horror is almost on our doorstep and we best do what they suggest in…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>What if I'm wrong?</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">That question has been asked by many believers with the intent of haunting me into submission out of fear. Fear is a great way to control people. We see it all the time, not only coming from believers trying to save nonbelievers from hellfire and brimstone, but also from politicians trying to convince us that some imminent horror is almost on our doorstep and we best do what they suggest in order to protect ourselves. It works, too!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Yet, this age old question always manages to create a bunch of new questions for me.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">You see, even if I decided tomorrow to accept god by faith, I still would feel insecure about choosing a path to follow. What if I find out that sprinkling wasn't enough That, in fact, dunking was required by god. What if I found out that divorce and remarriage were considered to be adultery and that I'd only managed to fool myself into believing that I could get away with it because I was weak and willful? What if the Jehovah Witnesses were right and not the Mormons or the Baptists? What if there really is a middle step called purgatory? What if I'm not supposed to cut my hair or dress in short skirts? Is it possible that women really are responsible for the sin of lust in men by exposing their flesh? What if I'm not supposed to eat pork or drink alcohol? What if the Seven Day Adventists are right not the Scientologists? What if it's a sin of greed to hang on to material wealth? Should I cover my head when venturing into a place of worship? Do I need to be in subjection to my husband as the head of the house? Should I cut my hair and wear a wig? What about the burka? The list of "what ifs" is practically endless, but hopefully, you get the point.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>There is no way of knowing if you've picked the right path from amongst the thousands available today.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You might as well draw a belief system from a hat or spin a wheel. You could be devoting your entire life to the wrong belief and suffer the consequences in the end. Supposedly false prophets abound. So beware! But how do we know who is a false prophet? They all claim to be selling the truth. So I ask the believer,</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">What if you've been fooled into following the wrong path to god?</span></strong></p>
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<p><em><span class="font-size-3">I'm a writer and I often write on topics that question cultural norms. Here's my most recent publication.</span></em></p>
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Screwed-Trading-Freedom-Fairy-Tales-ebook/dp/B074XKCTB1/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504279431&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=have+we+been+screwed&amp;linkCode=li1&amp;tag=forwayhypinc-20&amp;linkId=c9605d36ed1ac90e22abaeeaafa5036a" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B074XKCTB1&amp;Format=_SL110_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=forwayhypinc-20"/></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=forwayhypinc-20&amp;l=li1&amp;o=1&amp;a=B074XKCTB1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;"/></p>Intelligent Design?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-29:2182797:BlogPost:27633462017-08-29T21:00:00.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/Y-yqZVQDu83u1A5jT8bzZiBvX9d5ar5trABa2Tya4u47ZEA5kQSe1Rx8HCpKnLQKZJb1Uk*Xny5nd8FkYfcNG3Vu-FBvA9AS/id.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/Y-yqZVQDu83u1A5jT8bzZiBvX9d5ar5trABa2Tya4u47ZEA5kQSe1Rx8HCpKnLQKZJb1Uk*Xny5nd8FkYfcNG3Vu-FBvA9AS/id.jpg?width=425" width="425"></img></a> <strong><em>I did something I rarely do at a debate—I lost my temper. Normally, I can let ignorance roll like water off a duck’s back, but sometimes there are such stunning and dazzling displays of dunce-hood that make it hard to catch your breath or focus clearly.</em></strong></p>
<p>I debate regularly at a local “higher…</p>
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/Y-yqZVQDu83u1A5jT8bzZiBvX9d5ar5trABa2Tya4u47ZEA5kQSe1Rx8HCpKnLQKZJb1Uk*Xny5nd8FkYfcNG3Vu-FBvA9AS/id.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/Y-yqZVQDu83u1A5jT8bzZiBvX9d5ar5trABa2Tya4u47ZEA5kQSe1Rx8HCpKnLQKZJb1Uk*Xny5nd8FkYfcNG3Vu-FBvA9AS/id.jpg?width=425" width="425" class="align-right"/></a><strong><em>I did something I rarely do at a debate—I lost my temper. Normally, I can let ignorance roll like water off a duck’s back, but sometimes there are such stunning and dazzling displays of dunce-hood that make it hard to catch your breath or focus clearly.</em></strong></p>
<p>I debate regularly at a local “higher education” institution for theology. Like in the Barnes and Noble store the irony of a term like “Christian Fiction” is lost in the same smoke that clouds minds with “theological higher education,” but that is not what set me off on a 30-minute rant about intelligent design (ID).</p>
<p>Of course, I said there was nothing intelligent about it and posited the question, “Rather than have human beings born helpless and needy, why didn’t God just give us all the knowledge he has so we can be productive from the womb and, perhaps, even assist the doctor in the delivery?” A hush fell over the room, but a brave soul stood and recited dogma saying, “No one knows the mind of God.” That set me off. Since Intelligent Design was the subject, I asked what university granted God a diploma as a designer or engineer? Yahweh U?</p>
<p>I picked up where Neil deGrasse Tyson started by asking the students, “What engineer or designer would place a playpen next to a toxic waste dump? Why can birds see better than human beings? Why are our ears facing forward, when I need to know if some Christian is about to sneak up from behind and Shanghai me away to the Vatican or worse, Pat Robertson’s house?” Why can’t I regenerate organs like other animals? Why does anyone need to be taught about God? It seems that would be a priority for such an egotistical bastard.</p>
<p>Why does God need to test anyone? He already knows the answers. If he does not then perhaps he is nothing more than the Great Karnak. Why is Satan allowed to exist? Is it for warped entertainment or is it because he cannot do a thing about him. Why don’t my nails retract? Why do I need sunglasses instead of just a film that slips over my eye to protect me from harmful effects of the sun?</p>
<p>I went on to discuss evolution and told them about the blind watchmaker, paleontology, geology, fossilization processes, erosion, amino acids and more including the Big Bang theory as well as space exploration that shoots holes in Intelligent Design even citing that "Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence and that it was not my duty to supply it as I already made my case making it clear any reference to 2,000-year-old book filled with incorrect scientific evidence as well as well as a plethora of contradictions, was hardly a reliable source, especially seeing that everything in the Bible was written about at least 1,000 years earlier in Kemetic religions.</p>
<p>Suddenly, I realized that no one was talking asides from me. I was highly embarrassed by my outburst, apologized to the instructor, the students and left the scene. On the way home, I cursed myself for allowing such an outburst to mark my presence at Yahweh U. My telephone rang while I was working my way back to a dark spot to hide my shame. It was the professor. He just wanted to tell me that there was no need to apologize and that they wanted me back, but this time in the auditorium so more people could participate, including instructors.</p>
<p>I guess I didn’t piss them off as much as I thought because many wanted to know my sources and how I could rattle them off without referring to notes. I was still ashamed, but I suppose I showed that nonbelievers actually have solid reasons for not believing. Until next time: “Cogito ergo sum.”</p>The Religious Right is Running Out of Sins to Condemntag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-28:2182797:BlogPost:27630052017-08-28T18:30:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p><span class="font-size-3">In 1995, Ireland finally legalized divorce. After decades of living under the crushing rule of the Catholic Church. Malta, a country arguably more Catholic than inside the Vatican itself, managed by a very slim margin to legalize divorce in 2011. Are you as shocked as I was? Having lived in Malta, I can assure you that the tiny island which has often served as the crossroads of the world, has a long tradition of earnestness when it comes to The Church. I happened to…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">In 1995, Ireland finally legalized divorce. After decades of living under the crushing rule of the Catholic Church. Malta, a country arguably more Catholic than inside the Vatican itself, managed by a very slim margin to legalize divorce in 2011. Are you as shocked as I was? Having lived in Malta, I can assure you that the tiny island which has often served as the crossroads of the world, has a long tradition of earnestness when it comes to The Church. I happened to be there during the consecration of a new archbishop, and let me tell you, the entire island was on standby. I thought Jesus himself was scheduled to arrive.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Evangelicals, the cross-eyed cousins of the Christian world, have one of the highest rates of divorce in America. Go figure! What once was considered a mortal sin to break the marriage vows among their devout has now become normalized as just another day in the lives of a born again Christian. Seems like they've embraced the new hipster Jesus. Which also might partially explain why so many far right Christians had no problem with supporting Donald Trump, a true hedonist, even though he had been married thrice, divorced twice, had cheated on both former wives and had children by all three. Trump is only the second divorced president in American history. He has formally made divorce great again while yours, mine and ours has become the new Christian family model.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Normalization of divorce, remarriage, cheating and spawning of children by lots of different dads has made it rather challenging for the good old bad old Christians to hound and shame us hardened sinners. So, they have doubled down on the GREAT sin of homosexuality. After all, none of those dedicated followers of Jesus would ever be guilty of such a heinous sin. Of course not! They know that even hipster Jesus has his limitations.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">When societies evolve, and they do, old archaic notions may eventually disappear with the dinosaurs, leaving those who perch themselves upon their high moral ground with a dilemma. How do they make the rest of us feel like shit so that they can continue to feel superior? Which cultural expectations can they insist upon imposing upon their followers before they'll give them entrance into their club and ultimately a spot at the big table in the great gated community on high.</span></p>
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<p><strong><em><span class="font-size-3">Have We Been Screwed? Trading Freedom for Fairy Tales by Teresa Roberts</span></em></strong></p>Do We Have a Bible-Based Culture?tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-27:2182797:BlogPost:27627712017-08-27T12:30:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<div class="_1dwg _1w_m"><div class="_5pbx userContent" id="js_wkn"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_59a2bc8bcf20e6904413786"><p><span class="font-size-3">There was a time when the unspoken but powerful cultural expectations for a proper marriage went something like this. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The woman shouldn't be taller than the man nor make more money than the man. They both must be racially matched. The man should be older than the woman. The woman…</span></p>
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<div class="_1dwg _1w_m"><div class="_5pbx userContent" id="js_wkn"><div id="id_59a2bc8bcf20e6904413786" class="text_exposed_root text_exposed"><p><span class="font-size-3">There was a time when the unspoken but powerful cultural expectations for a proper marriage went something like this. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The woman shouldn't be taller than the man nor make more money than the man. They both must be racially matched. The man should be older than the woman. The woman would stay at home and raise children. The man would work to feed the family. Preferably, if the man wanted to receive respect, he made a lot of money. Dads tended to be less hands-on fathers. Mothers cared for the kids. Same sex marriage wasn't even uttered out loud in polite company. If a woman wasn't married before she was thirty, she was beyond her prime. Divorce was taboo. Single people were pitied. Nobody talked about sex, but everyone was having sex, yet, most young people knew nothing about sex. You had a baby and figured out what to do with it later. If you got in the family way, you got married. Unwed mothers were shipped off to some bleak house. The man was in charge. Children were to be seen but not heard. People, by in large, remained in unhappy even abusive marriages until parted by death. Nobody dared live together without the marriage papers to prove they had the right.</span></p>
<div class="text_exposed_show"><p><span class="font-size-3">Wow! Cultural expectations are far more powerful at controlling the masses than laws have ever been. <br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a class="_58cn" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/havewebeenscrewed?source=feed_text&amp;story_id=1444098515666090"><span> </span></a></span></p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-3">Teresa is a </span><font size="3">myth buster by trade. She writes about cultural expectations that limit us from being the person we want to be. Her most recent book can be found on Amazon. Click photo to purchase ...</font></em></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Screwed-Trading-Freedom-Fairy-Tales-ebook/dp/B074XKCTB1/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506451592&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=have+we+been+screwed+trading+freedom+for+fairy+tales&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=forwayhypinc-20&amp;linkId=f34c50650b67d5f4cb2efb2448bbd0c8" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B074XKCTB1&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=forwayhypinc-20"/></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=forwayhypinc-20&amp;l=li2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B074XKCTB1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;"/></p>Nothing They Told Us Was Actually the Truthtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-25:2182797:BlogPost:27621532017-08-25T21:00:00.000ZTeresa Robertshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/TeresaRoberts
<p align="center"><b> </b></p>
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/nEVsP9QYA8MKd*fxxjG6bap76LlvE6xVxu21SvfhkuDkI*wdKxr*Yf5wCVOndsYVx-K9UJ-R4BNu5mUZBgvOJIldiFq79aaK/torrebeachwalk.JPG" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/nEVsP9QYA8MKd*fxxjG6bap76LlvE6xVxu21SvfhkuDkI*wdKxr*Yf5wCVOndsYVx-K9UJ-R4BNu5mUZBgvOJIldiFq79aaK/torrebeachwalk.JPG?width=750" width="750"></img></a> <a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/IR8YqPAMjtKOI4KEM3koseDREiXvoVMdh86lgwoxSpBBKjlm8*0h88GZZZwyELbTnsRuznKH4orhOAnf249ttL6UA9VESeir/killarney.jpg" target="_self"><br></br></a> I started challenging myths when I was about twelve years old. That’s right! I was a young skeptic, very…</p>
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<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/nEVsP9QYA8MKd*fxxjG6bap76LlvE6xVxu21SvfhkuDkI*wdKxr*Yf5wCVOndsYVx-K9UJ-R4BNu5mUZBgvOJIldiFq79aaK/torrebeachwalk.JPG" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/nEVsP9QYA8MKd*fxxjG6bap76LlvE6xVxu21SvfhkuDkI*wdKxr*Yf5wCVOndsYVx-K9UJ-R4BNu5mUZBgvOJIldiFq79aaK/torrebeachwalk.JPG?width=750" width="750" class="align-center"/></a><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/IR8YqPAMjtKOI4KEM3koseDREiXvoVMdh86lgwoxSpBBKjlm8*0h88GZZZwyELbTnsRuznKH4orhOAnf249ttL6UA9VESeir/killarney.jpg" target="_self"><br/></a> I started challenging myths when I was about twelve years old. That’s right! I was a young skeptic, very young. Being raised in a religious cult can do that to a kid. Through the lottery of birth, I started my life in a family of religious zealots. You might say that I was forced to hit the ground running. We don’t get to pick our parents. Mine were total outliers. Thus, I grew up living in a closed society. When I was eighteen, I left home with a small bag of personal belongings and little else. I was attempting to find my place in the civilian world. The decision to leave the church ended with my excommunication from the family. So, with no money, no family, no friends, no job, no world experience, no car, and no driver’s license, I was soon sorely tested by the great, big, unpredictable world.</p>
<p><b><i> </i></b></p>
<p><b><i>Of course, I’d been told that Satan ran the world!</i></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes, it actually did seem like evil prevailed, but I wanted to stick my big toe into the civilian waters at whatever cost to my never dying soul. I turned my back on the church and thus my father’s god, a very domineering god who promised a burning hell to those like myself that refused to comply with his wishes. This isn’t a totally unique American tale, but there was one thing that made my experience with an extremist religion a bit different. My father believed that he’d been chosen, handpicked by god if you will, to be the final prophet of the last day and age. He didn’t just believe that sinners were sinners, he also believed that most Christians were sinners. He claimed that the actual voice of his god had revealed all of this to him. He’d been personally chosen to restore the truth, the holy truth that had been virtually lost from the face of the earth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now that’s a mighty tall order for one mortal man and his family to bear, but my father seemed to relish it. Little by little, he cut his ties with every church he attended. It might be fairer to say that most churches were relieved to see him go. Finally, it boiled down to just me, my two brothers and three sisters and my mom. We were it. Yet, he wasn’t deterred. He carried on by himself, hearing the voice of god every day of his life. That’s right! God told my father a lot of stuff. He promised him that if he was faithful that he’d deliver unto him a million followers before Jesus returned to rapture them all. He promised that he wouldn’t die, but instead, would one day in the near future be swept into the heavens by the angels — just in the nick of time. As soon as he and his followers were gone, god would pour out his wrath upon the earth and the scores and scores of miserable sinners left behind to suffer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><i>Little by little, his god began to reveal all kinds of things that needed fixing.</i></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It turned out that my mom, sisters and I needed lots of fixing. Over the course of about five years, we had a complete godly makeover. Slacks, shorts and swimsuits were put away for good. Hair was never cut again. Dresses were lengthened. Makeup and jewelry discarded. Dresses were lengthened again. Hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of our necks. Dresses were lengthened again. Black stockings replaced flesh colored ones. Finally, we gave up color and the ultimate makeover was completed — long gray dresses to the ground, buttoned at the throat and wrists, a cape that fit over the bodice hiding our blooming figures, black stockings and no accessories. Plain women who were shamefaced and modest was the goal. God, apparently, has no sense of fashion whatsoever and hated the sight of a woman’s body.</p>
<p><b><i> </i></b></p>
<p><b><i>I experienced a lot of brutality growing up.</i></b></p>
<p><b><i> </i></b></p>
<p> My father’s god was a vengeful deity that punishes on earth in addition to after death if he doesn’t receive total compliance. Children apparently really piss god off. So, the belts, hair brushes, hands and all manner of instruments of torture were wielded with complete confidence that if done regularly would save our childish sinful souls from eternal damnation. Anything that brought pleasure was suspect. In fact, pleasure and sin were synonymous. Life was very drab for a young girl who was told that there was no use in planning for her future because before she was twenty or thirty, well, soon, the world was going to end. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><i>My story is a long one.</i></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It started with turning my back on god and my family and ended with eventually giving up on all gods. It was a process that didn’t happen quickly. For a long time, the church was in my head, hounding me with fear and trepidation. Every time something happened on the world scene, it seemed prophetic. I worried that the world was going to end and that I’d be left behind with the unbelievers to suffer untold anguish. Fortunately, I had always been extremely sensitive to the inconsistencies of my ultra-religious upbringing. My mind seemed to be hardwired to recognize contradictions. For that reason, becoming a lifelong myth buster may have been easier for me. That was an amazing stroke of good fortune considering the family that I’d been born into.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><i>The most interesting thing that I learned after I left a closed society in search of my place in the civilian world was that the world at large also expected conformity.</i></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>That bothered me. I’d already had a bellyful of forced compliance to the extreme. The last thing that I wanted was to have to become a card carrying member of any club. Thus began my official career as a myth buster. Once I’d managed to debunk my religious upbringing, I went on to question many aspects of my culture. Incidentally, I didn’t get to choose where I’d reside once born either. Turns out there wasn’t a lot that I got to choose. I didn’t get to choose my gender, country, how my brain was wired, family, level of intelligence, genetic makeup, looks and so much more. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with from the get go, I eventually discovered that all societies are built upon myths, fairy tales and cultural expectations and that very few people are living a life they actually chose. People usually don’t realize the predicament they are in, but there’s a reason why most everyone lives out their existence pretty much like everyone else. We never knew we even had a choice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Religion was a great place to begin my myth-busting career. It’s so absurd in all of it’s ridiculous forms that it literally screams to be challenged. Yet, many atheists haven’t exercised their myth-busting skills beyond the realm of religious fairy tales. Religion is just one of many culturally concocted myths promising a fairy tale ending if we’re fully compliant with the thousands of attached cultural expectations. All cultures have developed very detailed requirements of compliance and coercion. Belonging to the tribe comes with certain benefits but we sacrifice an enormous amount of personal autonomy as well. There are a thousand different ways to do something, many happening simultaneously all over the world, but humans tend to do it the same way over and over again. I contend that is to our great disadvantage.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not only does compliance and conformity rob of us of getting to live a life of our choosing, but it discourages creativity and problem solving. Most people do things over and over in roughly the same fashion hoping for a different outcome. Yet, when a true nonconformist comes along with a creative idea, they are often resisted, even driven out of town. Fortunately, there are those who were born to question. And, they make all the difference.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><i>If you’re a myth buster, too, congratulations.</i></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The world needs us more than they’ll ever know. If you’ve managed to bust the myths surrounding religions, you’re already familiar with the skills needed to expose cultural limitations at large. Join me in the trade. <b><i>There’s plenty of work for everyone</i></b>.</p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://findingthegypsyinme.com/home-2/"> </a>Check out Teresa's books on her website Creative Paths to Freedom</span></p>
<p><a href="http://findingthegypsyinme.com/home-2/">http://findingthegypsyinme.com/home-2/</a></p>My daughter learns one of life's greatest lessons at her second day of college.tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-25:2182797:BlogPost:27624882017-08-25T00:00:00.000ZCompelledunbelieverhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Compelledunbeliever
<p> Yesterday my daughter came home from her second day of college. On day two her history class started on the Epic of Gilgamesh, of which I was very impressed to hear. Then my daughter mentioned "the Jesus guy". She described a typical religious person in an outside area preaching. This of course was no surprise.</p>
<p> What did come as a shock is when she said she listened to his stories and immediately recognized the stories in the Epic of Gilgamesh that had been written 2000 years before…</p>
<p> Yesterday my daughter came home from her second day of college. On day two her history class started on the Epic of Gilgamesh, of which I was very impressed to hear. Then my daughter mentioned "the Jesus guy". She described a typical religious person in an outside area preaching. This of course was no surprise.</p>
<p> What did come as a shock is when she said she listened to his stories and immediately recognized the stories in the Epic of Gilgamesh that had been written 2000 years before the advent of Judaism. She was very proud to have recognized and put this together herself.</p>
<p> I have never pushed atheism on my children but have encouraged free thought, that is look at the facts then and only then form an opinion. My daughter knows I'm an ardent student of history particularly where it applies to the bible. The most significant outcome of this event is I believe for the first time she really understood why I'm such a student of history and why I understand the bible to be mythological.</p>
<p> From this experience I think my daughter now understands why her father is the person that he is more than ever. It really brought us closer together than any other experience we have had. I think it was the first time she actually didn't think of me as my slightly odd father the atheist. But rather my father the atheist for good reason.</p>
<p> In short, I do believe this is a valuable lesson to her to go ahead and listen to others, but first of all listen to reason.</p>Religious Sleight of Handtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-19:2182797:BlogPost:27610862017-08-19T12:30:00.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><i><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/BZnxXGEn3Dhg64-I1ZOor-fvabLIACMt-aJKxK74CXF00iA2sCyJ1GyBsPOhWbm4jKjvGcsN6CnEyxq7A2*nMLqePlcuUFmJ/divorce.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/BZnxXGEn3Dhg64-I1ZOor-fvabLIACMt-aJKxK74CXF00iA2sCyJ1GyBsPOhWbm4jKjvGcsN6CnEyxq7A2*nMLqePlcuUFmJ/divorce.jpg" width="421"></img></a></i></p>
<p><i>“Many people who seriously practice a traditional religious faith—be it Christian or other—have a divorce rate marked lower than the general population.”—The Christian Divorce Rate Myth,</i> <i>Glenn T. Stanton, Baptist Press</i></p>
<p>The above quote, taken from the website <i>crosswalk.com,</i> is…</p>
<p><i><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/BZnxXGEn3Dhg64-I1ZOor-fvabLIACMt-aJKxK74CXF00iA2sCyJ1GyBsPOhWbm4jKjvGcsN6CnEyxq7A2*nMLqePlcuUFmJ/divorce.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/BZnxXGEn3Dhg64-I1ZOor-fvabLIACMt-aJKxK74CXF00iA2sCyJ1GyBsPOhWbm4jKjvGcsN6CnEyxq7A2*nMLqePlcuUFmJ/divorce.jpg" width="421" class="align-center"/></a></i></p>
<p><i>“Many people who seriously practice a traditional religious faith—be it Christian or other—have a divorce rate marked lower than the general population.”—The Christian Divorce Rate Myth,</i> <i>Glenn T. Stanton, Baptist Press</i></p>
<p>The above quote, taken from the website <i>crosswalk.com,</i> is what is known as a qualifier which tries to shift focus from Christianity’s dismal divorce rate in the United States and avoid any mention of people <i>“who don’t seriously practice a traditional religious faith.”</i> <a title="">[1]</a> Pointing out a specific group makes no difference, no matter if comparing Christians and Muslims or baseball and football, those that practice <i>“seriously”</i> always do better. “<i>Many people who seriously practice”</i> atheism, agnosticism, and humanism “<i>have a divorce rate markedly lower than the general population,”</i> including Christians.</p>
<p>Christian researchers often try to remove those Christians they believe push the divorce rate higher by placing them in categories such as Active, Professing, Liturgical, Private, and Cultural<a title="">[2]</a>; but the transparent effort does not hide that Christians are the most divorced group in the country. Without further examination of the various categories, simple logic says that in a nation where more than 75 percent of the population claims Christianity guarantees the Christian representation in nearly any activity and in significant amounts just because of their number.</p>
<p>It may surprise many Americans to know that Christians are just as likely to divorce as any other group in the country, but this is not news; it is a pattern that has been in place for more than a decade. Still, it is strange that in an overwhelmingly Christian nation, Christian marriages are more likely to fail than those of atheists.<a title=""><sup><sup>[3]</sup></sup></a> Nationally, 34 percent of Protestant Christians divorce yearly—the highest rate in the country.<a title=""><sup><sup>[4]</sup></sup></a> Christians include Evangelicals and Born-agains, as well as Notionals and Catholics. At 30 percent, atheists and agnostics have the lowest divorce rate compared with all of American Christianity.<a title=""><sup><sup>[5]</sup></sup></a> According to pollster George Barna, A larger percentage of born-again adults divorce at some time during their lifetime than do non-Christians (27% vs. 23%). Surprisingly, 90 percent of all born-again adults that divorced, did so after they accepted Christ.<a title=""><sup><sup>[6]</sup></sup></a></p>
<p>Plainly, under the heading of family values, the Christian Right sees divorce as a nonissue, but judging from their record it should be. The rank of Protestant Christians as the most divorced group in the country speaks volumes about so-called family values, especially when compared with Biblical rule condemning divorce. Despite efforts by Evangelical to “weed out” those Christians they believe fall short of their idea of real Christians, it is clear the segment constantly blaring the horns of morality should order their marital houses before casting stones.</p>
<p>Divorce and Christian Attitudes</p>
<p>Bible scholars and teachers point out that Jesus taught that divorce was a sin unless adultery was a reason, but few Americans accept that pronouncement. In a Gallup Poll, 59 percent of Americans said they think divorce is morally acceptable while only 28 percent feel divorce is morally unacceptable.<a title="">[7]</a> Most of both Protestants (58%) and Catholics (69%) disagreed that divorce without adultery involved was a sin, displaying either ignorance of Scripture, selective acceptance, or outright rejection.<a title="">[8]</a> Even most Born-again adults (52%) disagreed with the statement.<a title="">[9]</a></p>
<p>States in the South and West rank among the highest for couples that marry, but many of these states also have higher rates of divorce. The South and West had the most marriages, with rates of roughly 19 per 1,000, but the areas also led in divorces, each at 10 per 1,000.<a title="">[10]</a> An analysis by the US Census Bureau found that couples in other parts of the country wait longer to marry. Also, the percentage of women who wed as teenagers has dropped steadily since 1970, while men wait past college years before considering marriage.<a title="">[11]</a></p>
<p>The lowest in divorces was the Northeast. The report attributed the lower rates to delayed marriage lessening the chances of marital discord. "Surprisingly, the South and West, which we think of as more socially conservative, have higher rates of divorce than does the supposedly liberal East," said Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University. "The reason is that young adults in the South and West tend to have less education and marry earlier, both of which lead to a higher risk of divorce."<a title="">[12]</a></p>
<p>The Barna Research Group's national study showed that members of nondenominational churches divorce 34 percent of the time in contrast to 25 percent for the general population. Nondenominational churches would include large numbers of Bible churches and other conservative evangelicals. Baptists had the highest divorce rate of the major denominations: 29 percent. Born-again Christians' rate was 27 percent. To make matters even more distressing for believers, atheists/agnostics had the lowest rate of divorce 21 percent.<a title="">[13]</a></p>
<p>Dallas therapist and Southwestern Seminary graduate Dr. Roy Austin said, "The atheist doesn't believe in God and so doesn't depend on God to save or fix a marriage. It's just 'the two of us,' and that takes the magic aspect out of it." But many fundamentalist or evangelical couples base their marriages on "very irrational and unrealistic principles," he said. "They say, 'Put God first in your marriage' whatever that means to them 'be faithful in church, be a good Christian, pray a lot, attend church, and God will work everything out for you.' Then they find out that's a lot of hogwash."<a title="">[14]</a></p>
<p>An Associated Press analysis of divorce statistics from the US Census Bureau revealed the highest divorce rates in the country are in the "Bible Belt," the most religious portion of the country. According to the report, “the divorce rates in these conservative states are roughly 50 percent above the national average of 4.2 per thousand people.” As the most religious sector of the nation, it would seem divorce rates in that area would be substantially lower than the rest of the country, but just the opposite is true. <a title=""><sup><sup>[15]</sup></sup></a></p>
<p>Analysis of divorce statistics from the US Census Bureau by the Associated Press showed that Massachusetts had the lowest divorce rate in the U.S. at 2.4 per 1,000 population, while Texas had the highest rate at 4.1 per 1,000. The 10 Southern states with the highest divorce rates were Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. By comparison, nine states in the Northeast were among those with the lowest divorce rates: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.<a title="">[16]</a></p>
<p>Residents of the Northeast and West commonly receive notice for their more liberal leanings in politics and lifestyle. That region is also home to large numbers of atheists, agnostics, and the unchurched. However, the region of the nation in which divorce was least likely was the Northeast. In that area, 28 percent of adults ever married had also divorced, compared with 32 percent in the Midwest, 35 percent in the South, and 38 percent in the West.<a title="">[17]</a></p>
<p>Expectations are that Christians should score well in this area especially seeing the Bible does not tolerate divorce in any fashion. Yet, divorce is just as common among Christians as it is among non-Christians. In recent years, even the divorce rate for Protestant clergy has risen to match the general population.<a title="">[18]</a> Whether religion plays a role in their dismal marriage record is unknown. However, measurement of atheist and agnostic divorce rates by the evangelical George Barna Research Group shows are 3 to 4 percentage points lower and may indicate that religion or lack or religion has little impact on marriage success.<a title="">[19]</a></p>
<p>Christian apologist often try to change the weight of the argument by claiming that statistics showing Christians as the most divorced group in the United States are mistaken. Their argument is that researchers measure the wrong Christians, which is akin to saying that when I run, I go fast. When the Barna Research Group first released their figures, a multitude of religious organizations came forward to criticize the numbers. Barna stood by the figures and a poll by the Associated Press, both listed in this chapter, showed nearly identical results.</p>
<p>In this section, I purposely use numbers from various sources; and even though the numbers may differ slightly, the point is Christians lead the nation in divorce. No matter how Christian apologists tweak twist or turn the figures for divorce, it remains a fact that Christians are the most divorced group in America. With nearly 80 percent of Americans claiming Christianity, for Christians to avoid being the most divorced group in the United States would require mass conversion.</p>
<p>In an article featured in <i>Christianity Today</i>, theologian Ronald Sider noted that Christian observers expressed dismay at the dominance of evangelical Christianity in the US has not translated into a strengthening of the nation's moral character, nor the characters of evangelical Christians themselves. J. Gerald Harris, editor of <i>The Christian Index</i> may have voiced the reason when his column pointed out, “. . . we have forfeited much of our influence and power by lacking the integrity to be taken seriously.”<a title="">[20]</a></p>
<p><em>“I guess the only way to stop divorce is to stop</em> marriage<em>.”<a title=""><b>[21]</b></a> —Will Rogers</em></p>
<div><br clear="all"/><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"/><div><p><a title="">[1]</a> Glenn T. Stanton, The Christian Divorce Rate Myth, Baptist Press, February 25, 2011, <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/divorce-and-remarriage/the-christian-divorce-rate-myth.html">http://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/divorce-and-remarriage/the-christian-divorce-rate-myth.html</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[2]</a> Helen Lee, 5 Kinds of Christians, Understanding the disparity of those who call themselves Christian in America, October 1, 2007, <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/fall/1.19.html">http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/fall/1.19.html</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[3]</a> New Marriage and Divorce Statistics Released, The Barna Group, March 31, 2008, <a href="http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/15-familykids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released">http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/15-familykids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[4]</a> New Marriage and Divorce Statistics Released, The Barna Group, March 31, 2008, <a href="http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/15-familykids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released">http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/15-familykids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[5]</a> ibid</p>
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<div><p><a title="">[6]</a> Christians are more likely to experience divorce than are non-Christians, Barna Research Group, December 21, 1999, <a href="http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/">www.barna.org/cgi-bin/</a></p>
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<div><p class="EndNoteText"><a title="">[7]</a> <a href="http://www.gallup.com/Contact/GPTContact.asp?authcode=3&amp;authcodeb=0&amp;frompage=/poll/releases/pr010524.asp">Lydia Saad</a>, Majority Considers Sex Before Marriage Morally Okay, May 24, 2001, <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr010524.asp">http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr010524.asp</a></p>
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<div><p class="EndNoteText"><a title="">[8]</a> Born-again Christians Just As Likely to Divorce As Are Non-Christians, <a href="http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&amp;BarnaUpdateID=170">http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&amp;BarnaUpdateID=170</a>, September 8, 2004</p>
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<div><p><a title="">[9]</a> Christians are more likely to experience divorce than are non-Christians, Barna Research Group, December 21, 1999, <a href="http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/">www.barna.org/cgi-bin/</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[10]</a> Hope Yen, Southerners like to get married—and divorced, Knoxville News Sentinel, Associated Press, August 25, 2011, <a href="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/25/census-south-west-lead-us-in-marriages-divorces/">http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/25/census-south-west-lead-us-in-marriages-divorces/</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[11]</a> Hope Yen, Southerners like to get married—and divorced, Knoxville News Sentinel, Associated Press, August 25, 2011, <a href="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/25/census-south-west-lead-us-in-marriages-divorces/">http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/25/census-south-west-lead-us-in-marriages-divorces/</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[12]</a> Hope Yen, Southerners like to get married—and divorced, Knoxville News Sentinel, Associated Press, August 25, 2011, <a href="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/25/census-south-west-lead-us-in-marriages-divorces/">http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/25/census-south-west-lead-us-in-marriages-divorces/</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[13]</a> Christine Wicker, Survey inspires debate over why faith isn't a bigger factor in marriage, Barna survey: Baptists have highest divorce rate, Adherents.com, The Dallas Morning News, 2000, <a href="http://www.adherents.com/largecom/baptist_divorce.html">http://www.adherents.com/largecom/baptist_divorce.html</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[14]</a> Christine Wicker, Survey inspires debate over why faith isn't a bigger factor in marriage, Barna survey: Baptists have highest divorce rate, Adherents.com, The Dallas Morning News, 2000, <a href="http://www.adherents.com/largecom/baptist_divorce.html">http://www.adherents.com/largecom/baptist_divorce.html</a></p>
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<div><p class="EndNoteText"><a title="">[15]</a> U.S. divorce rates: for various faith groups, age groups and geographical areas, <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm">http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm</a></p>
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<div><p class="EndNoteText"><a title="">[16]</a> U.S. divorce rates: for various faith groups, age groups and geographical areas, <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm">http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm</a></p>
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<div><p class="EndNoteText"><a title="">[17]</a> Pam Belluck, To Avoid Divorce, Move to Massachusetts, New York Times, November 14, 2004, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/weekinreview/14pamb.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/weekinreview/14pamb.html</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[18]</a> Kenneth L. Woodward, Sex Morality and The Protestant Minister, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, July 27, 1997, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/1997/07/27/sex-morality-and-the-protestant-minister.html">http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/1997/07/27/sex-morality-and-the-protestant-minister.html</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[19]</a> New Marriage and Divorce Statistics Released, Barna Group, March 31, 2008, <a href="http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/15-familykids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released">http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/15-familykids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[20]</a> J. Gerald Harris, The abomination of high doctrine, low conduct, The Christian Index, January 5, 2006, <a href="http://www.christianindex.org/1864.article.print">http://www.christianindex.org/1864.article.print</a></p>
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<div><p><a title="">[21]</a> Divorce Quotes, Finest Quotes, <a href="http://www.finestquotes.com/select_quote-category-Divorce-page-0.htm">http://www.finestquotes.com/select_quote-category-Divorce-page-0.htm</a></p>
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</div>borderlinetag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-17:2182797:BlogPost:27607632017-08-17T09:29:40.000ZPliniushttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Plinius
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">I’m too attractive to borderliners, I think. For the second time in six months a borderliner started to scream at me and attacked me with verbal abuse.</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">I never suspect a new contact to be a borderliner, but I make room for someone new, give them my attention and listen to what they want to tell me. Most of the time I listen and I don’t talk…</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">I’m too attractive to borderliners, I think. For the second time in six months a borderliner started to scream at me and attacked me with verbal abuse.</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">I never suspect a new contact to be a borderliner, but I make room for someone new, give them my attention and listen to what they want to tell me. Most of the time I listen and I don’t talk very much. Borderliners like to talk about the unfair way life has treated them, but hell, everybody is in a bad patch now and then.</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">There comes a day that I want to talk about something, but there’s never time for it with a borderliner, they’re always running from one crisis into the next one and they need a lot of attention. On that day I think that there’s something unbalanced about this friendship, but the sun’s still shining…</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">And then one day I utter an opinion, my opinion. WHAT!? AN OPINION?! Without consulting the borderliner! Gross! Detestable! Horrible! You should be beheaded for that! And what’s that? CRITICISM!? You backstabber!</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">So I break the contact, because there’s nothing else a reasonable person can do. But I start to suspect my other contacts… who of you? And when? <span> </span>And I check the mirror; too kind, too patient, not dominant enough.. can I be different? Do I want that?</font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><font face="Calibri" size="3">I’d love to have an early warning system for borderliners at this point, I’m quite fed up with their disgusting behaviour.</font></span></p>OH HOW I WISHtag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-15:2182797:BlogPost:27604932017-08-15T14:42:03.000ZDonald R Barberahttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/fGvwos5dPD4124ugVi8aKgwtY0ioxpJye51cfXlQ*pEBBmcnlM5oLDVzYaIKTntHnL9zAI9bK050DtkEwN3Iz5xhcX1MTaCb/photoessaybychrisgable.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/fGvwos5dPD4124ugVi8aKgwtY0ioxpJye51cfXlQ*pEBBmcnlM5oLDVzYaIKTntHnL9zAI9bK050DtkEwN3Iz5xhcX1MTaCb/photoessaybychrisgable.jpg?width=575" width="575"></img></a> Asides from the promotion of ignorance, the embrace of intolerance, the perpetuation of fantasy, the encouragement of external reliance, the insistence of basing thought on dogma rather than fact, abetting belief in ghosts, gremlins and ghouls, the blatant demotion of women and its continued history of…</p>
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/fGvwos5dPD4124ugVi8aKgwtY0ioxpJye51cfXlQ*pEBBmcnlM5oLDVzYaIKTntHnL9zAI9bK050DtkEwN3Iz5xhcX1MTaCb/photoessaybychrisgable.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/fGvwos5dPD4124ugVi8aKgwtY0ioxpJye51cfXlQ*pEBBmcnlM5oLDVzYaIKTntHnL9zAI9bK050DtkEwN3Iz5xhcX1MTaCb/photoessaybychrisgable.jpg?width=575" width="575" class="align-center"/></a>Asides from the promotion of ignorance, the embrace of intolerance, the perpetuation of fantasy, the encouragement of external reliance, the insistence of basing thought on dogma rather than fact, abetting belief in ghosts, gremlins and ghouls, the blatant demotion of women and its continued history of anti-progressive thinking are just a few things I have against Christianity.</p>
<p><b><i>I am anti-religion because of nearly everything it stands for and everyone or everything it stands with. It is far past time for its burial as it has outlived its usefulness.</i></b></p>
<p>Psychiatry of the religious persuasion may still offer misguided solace nearing medical malpractice. In reality, today’s psychiatrists and psychologists approach exhaustion trying to undo the mental chaos inflicted by religion and the desire for feel-good answers rather than the truth.</p>
<p>Sadly, when it comes to religion the country has a hands-off approach despite religion's demonstrated toxicity in the United States alone where it helped promote slavery, the slaughter of Native Americans with the idea of Manifest Destiny and its intolerable stances on female rights and homosexuality.</p>
<p>A look at statistics gathered by the Christian church shows religion's inability to alter human behavior. This is hardly news, but some prominent religious researchers seem surprised. Perhaps, their dismay comes because Christian adherents lie at the root of American problems. Simple math would reveal that in a country claiming 70%+ Christianity, that group would also be overrepresented in almost any activity, except immoral and illegal behavior, but that isn’t the case. The exact opposite is true.</p>
<p>Over 90% of American prisoners are Christians and based on demographics, that should be no surprise. Does that mean Christians have more felonious behavior? Of course not, such a conclusion is ridiculous. That 90% of prisoners at the very least shows religion’s failure to change primary behavior in any significant way but an unspoken correlation exists and it is one few religionists care to speak of and that is the low level of faith commitments. No one speaks of it but religion is little more than a ritualized social event. Most Americans claiming Christianity are little more than club members that don't even pay their dues. The fact is, fewer than 6% of Christians tithe and that was the story long before the current research began on the topic.</p>
<p>When is the last time God did anything of significance in this world? I've been here more than 50 years and I haven't seen a single thing and there have been plenty of opportunities like the Indian Ocean tsunami, hurricane Katrina, the World Trade Center terrorist attack and more but he hasn't been there even to accept the regular stream of undeserved accolades people insist on throwing his way despite his habitual absence and pitiful record of achievement. Interestingly, no one minds giving credit for their hard work to a being without enough courtesy to show up every century or so.</p>
<p>People who speak with God should consider talking with a psychiatrist because that is normal procedure when suffering aural hallucinations. I've been sick of religion countless years for no reason other than it offends my sensibilities in that it is irrational and shy to serious examination by even a child. It is the willful and knowing imposition of religion on the young that irritates most. It is the moral equivalent of brain-washing in the most literal sense.</p>
<p>Years ago in the midst of a heated argument, a woman shouted at me, "You're so damn rational!" At the time the comment only made the situation worse as I proved I could be just as irrational as the next person. Later I came to view the snide remark as an unintended compliment. I am a rational thinker and demonstrated the trait early in life but it never dawned on me that accounted for how I learned.</p>A new school year.tag:atheistnexus.org,2017-08-13:2182797:BlogPost:27603442017-08-13T21:10:04.000ZRhonda Boyerhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/RhondaBoyer949
<p>So, this year is a little more than half over. And, I decided it is time for a change. </p>
<p>The weight loss went well, and is still working out for me. Haven't gained any weight back, and have done things to make me healthier. Also, dropped a few additional pounds in the mean time.</p>
<p>I decided it was time for me to go back to school. I will be studying nutrition science. It sounds interesting to me. The healthier lifestyle made me decide this was a good career goal, so that's what I…</p>
<p>So, this year is a little more than half over. And, I decided it is time for a change. </p>
<p>The weight loss went well, and is still working out for me. Haven't gained any weight back, and have done things to make me healthier. Also, dropped a few additional pounds in the mean time.</p>
<p>I decided it was time for me to go back to school. I will be studying nutrition science. It sounds interesting to me. The healthier lifestyle made me decide this was a good career goal, so that's what I am going to do.</p>
<p>I haven't been on the Nexus for quite a while, because I have not had much to say as I was going through my decision process. I may not be on much in the near future, as I will probably be busy studying. I am not sure how this will all work, but I will try to update as I go.</p>
<p>Anyway, have a good day/good life! Be happy, if you can, and feel like it. Take care! See you all around! </p>